Sonadow: The Ruby Eyes of Affection
by JessabellStories
Summary: Already read by many fans on deviantart and wattpad, this complex sonadow fanfiction features some interesting takes on Mobian culture and religion. Expect slightly mature, dark humor/themes with a bit of my traditional psychology and mysticism. Not to mention a lot of cuddling and romance. This is certainly not your typical sonadow fan fiction, I assure you.
1. Chapter 1

The air was filled with the occasional yelps and growls of a particularly upset hedgehog. His eyes shut with pain and frustration as his arch enemy yanked broken glass from his arm with a pair of tweezers.

"I don't really need help **faker.** I could have taken care of this myself." The ebony hedgehog declared with a solid grunt as he attempted to cross his arms over his body but they were immediately pushed aside by a slightly irritated blue hedgehog.

"And risk your wounds getting infected again? No way, just because you're the ultimate life form, Shadow, doesn't mean you're impervious to bacteria". The azure hedgehog replied as he pulled out another piece of glass more aggressively than before.

"If you didn't ram me into a window, we wouldn't have this problem, Sonic." Shadow stated with another grunt and a low pitch growl as he noticed the cobalt hedgehog's increasingly irritated tone.

"And if **YOU** weren't so stubborn we could of gotten this done an hour ago and then you can go back to being your brooding-uninterested self. But for now you're in my house, show a little respect."

Shadow sighed with a somewhat peeved nod as he decided to give up. Fighting was just going to make this event take longer and he knew that's the last thing he needed. Silence creeped through the room like an apparition, making both the hedgehogs uncomfortable as Sonic continued to brush debris from the ebony hedgehog's torso.

Shadow's eyes fell straight to the floor as he felt the cobalt hedgehog touch his abdomen. Trying to mask the sensation he was feeling. It wasn't necessarily a good or bad sensation more like the feeling you get when you snuggle against warm blankets on a cold winter night. It felt slightly comforting. Something Shadow hated to admit. For comfort meant he felt weakness and he would never confess that to anyone. Well besides one person. His eyes dilated as he remembered his fallen friend. Her beautiful golden hair and bright blue eyes were the only comfort he had on the prison they called the ARK. His thoughts were soon interrupted by a gentle sigh.

"Whatcha thinking 'bout shads? You seem deep in thought, not that that's unusual, but I'm curious." Sonic asked in a slightly warm tone as he stared at the ebony in slight frustration.

Shadows eyes flickered up to the sapphire hedgehog as he regained his composure.

"Why should I tell you of all people? And don't call me that." He replied coldly with his typical i-don't-give-a-crap scowl.

"Because I'm holding tweezers and I'm not afraid to use 'em." Sonic responded with a slight smile as he pinched Shadows nose gently with the object.

"Heh, are you trying to threaten me with that pitiful excuse for a weapon? You just keep getting _more and more_ pathetic, faker". He stated with his eyes looking away from the blue hedgehogs face with a confident frown.

For almost six months he had been watching Sonic from the corner of his eye when they fought. His emerald eyes were filled with so many secrets, something Shadow was familiar with. As he knew, eyes aren't made of just one color, they're combinations of different colors united into one central main color. What was more important, the general outcome or the little events that create the outcome? Sonic had noticed Shadow's cold glance to the side as he finished up removing the last of the glass.

"Hay shad, don't look so gloomy, soon we will get you back home and you can be free to do _whatever_ you want." Sonic hoped that this slight show of affection would help the ebony feel more relaxed.

He didn't like it when Shadow felt uncomfortable, which of lately was getting more common every time they interacted. The charcoal hedgehog didn't reply as he grew more and more frustrated and Sonic could tell. If he didn't do something quick Shadow might chaos spear him in the face, right on the spot. the azure hedgehog patted his shoulder comfortingly and stated with complete honesty.

"What are you hiding from? Am I _really_ that scary?" Sonic exclaimed mockingly as he thought the statement was completely preposterous but couldn't help but notice slight fear resonating in his rivals eyes.

Silence fell like a ton of bricks as Shadows voice responded quietly.

"Your eyes, they **scare** me..." Shadow admitted before quickly realizing what he just said.

How could he have lost his self-control so easily and around a stupid kid nonetheless. His face practically flushed as he tried to take back what he said.

"Um no what I meant is… well…". His voice weakened as he couldn't come up with a good excuse.

For almost a minute there was complete silence as Sonic looked deeply into his rival's eyes and finally with a concerned look asked Shadow a question he had been wanting to ask since the beginning.

"Who are you, **_really?_** ****Shadow the hedgehog."


	2. Chapter 2

Sonic's stare did not weaken as the atmosphere completely froze. Shadow's mouth hung open as he tried to find a way to escape the situation. He looked around the little blue room, desperately seeking a way out. The door was behind the azure hedgehog and with no Chaos Emerald in sight, he was stuck. There was no dodging the fact that Sonic had backed him into a corner with the single worst question he could have possibly asked.

"Well, you going to answer or just stare at my face?" Sonic inquired with an assertive tone.

"You were the one who started staring first…, faker". The ebony hedgehog uttered sturdily, attempting to sound confident even though he was scared practically to death. 

"Oh… was I now…" The blue hedgehog articulated with a smirk as he moved closer to the ebony hedgehogs face.

"I beg to differ… You have been looking at-…" Sonic was cut off by a loud bang at the front of his house followed by a familiar feminine yell.

 **"** **SONIKUUUUUUUUUUU! ARE YOU HERE?!"** The voice shrieked from across the house as they heard the person demolish the front door.

The cobalt hedgehog quickly put his hand over the black hedgehog's mouth making sure he didn't yell out in response.

"You're not getting yourself out of this one, Shadow. I hate to use force, but this time you left me with no choice. Hiding everything from me is not solving any problems between us and quite frankly, I'm sick of it". Sonic whispered, moving closer to his face.

Shadow sat straight up in his seat as his face flushed while Sonic whispered in his ear. His voice had never sounded so serious and demanding.

"Do I make myself _completely_ clear?" Sonic enunciated with poise.

The ebony hedgehog responded with a slow nod, shocked at how forceful the sapphire hedgehog was being. He wanted nothing more than to punch him in the face; but knew, if they fought again, he would become even more injured. The risk was too great, especially in his stunned somewhat emotional state. To the pairs demise the girlish voice came closer even with their efforts to be quiet.

"Sonic! Are you in there?! You better not be hiding from Amy Rose, again." The voice yelped right behind the bedroom door. BAM!

The door flew open with a loud thud as it hit the wall. Shadow let out a sigh of relief as this would probably force the cobalt hedgehog to back down.

The pink hedgehog with her pekoe-pekoe hammer entered one of the weirdest most intense scenes she had ever interrupted. Sonic was leaning close to a very stunned Shadow with his lips practically in his ear and his hand fixed to his mouth. Her dumbfounded face forced Sonic to change his plan of action. He backed away from the black hedgehog, giving him an intimidating look before turning and facing the flabbergasted lady.

"How ya doin' Ames? Did you really have to destroy my house? I paid good money for this, well not really, the government paid for it. I guess being an awesome hero who always saves the day has its perks". Sonic declared with a self-assured pose and a wink.

In an instant, the sapphire hedgehog had gravitated Amy from the situation. She giggled as she ran over to her hero and snuggled his arm.

"Oh Sweetie, you're sucha wonderful boyfriend. I was _soooo_ worried about you. Your fight with Shadow left some crazy property damage and I wanted to make sure you weren't hurt." Amy stated with a consoling, sweet tone.

Sonic laughed, trying to sound natural, as he peeped back at Shadow to make sure he hadn't moved. He glanced to the side as the cobalt hedgehog gave him a very stern stare.

 _(You better not move an_ _ **inch**_ _, I'm not done with you, yet.)_ Sonic thought before turning his head back to listen to Amy vent.

She continued to talk about how amazing her "boyfriend" was and all the things they were going to do when they got married. The azure hedgehog simply smiled and nodded, slowly moving Amy closer to the door even though he had absolutely no interest in being her husband.

"Well Ames, it's been great talking to you, but I need to finish helping Shadow with his wounds. He was practically crying when I threw him through the window and he begged me to save him. You should have seen it, it was **so** cute." He said sarcastically with a victorious nod.

He grinned as he peered behind himself expecting to see a practically fuming Shadow. But instead saw his normal bored, uninterested expression. Had he broken him? Did he make Shadow the Hedgehog of all people, so unbelievably stunned that he no longer had the ability to defend himself?

Shadow didn't really notice the blue hedgehogs retort as he continued to think about the event that just occurred. Not only did Sonic completely obliterate his personal space, he scared the living crud out of him.

 _(What is with him? This isn't the "hero" I'm used to. The immature, absent minded, cocky kid I grew accustom to has practically disappeared. Is he going to come back?)_ His thoughts were disturbed by a womanly sigh.

"But Sonikuuu, can't Shadow take care of himself. You always baby him. Isn't he like at least twice your age? Shouldn't it be the other way around? Why do you always need to help him?" Amy hadn't completely forgotten the scene she had witnessed. She wasn't used to Sonic being so overprotective especially for a person he didn't particularly get along with.

"Why…? You **really** … want to know why! I'll tell you why! Its cuz' whenever Shadow gets his ass into trouble I have to drag him out or he runs the risk of letting himself get hurt or worse die. Last time he got injured his wounds got infected causing mass hysteria for not only me, but Egghead and Rouge as well. He has no confidence, no sense of self-worth and above all no real identity." Sonic pushed Amy out of the way as he turned to Shadow whose expression had changed from uninterested to attentive.

"You're **very** lucky to have someone who cares as much as I do, but you're too busy worrying about things you can't control. Even I know the past is the past. Grow a back bone already!" Sonic bellowed with all the force and emotion he could possibly muster.

He was tired of it. He wanted to be Shadows friend, maybe even his best friend. They shared something in common. They both had secrets, in those emerald and ruby eyes. Secrets that neither Sonic nor Shadow could tell anyone besides each other. If only he could get him to open up, maybe… maybe they both could get the emotional support they so desperately needed.

Sonic realized he pushed the ebony hedgehog too far and put his hands up in defense trying to symbolize to him that he didn't mean what he said.

 _(I need to say something to get him to calm down, but I've tried all my techniques with him earlier and none of them worked.)_

He recognized the inevitable and stood in silence as he awaited his rival's response.

And by the wrath emanating in Shadow's crimson eyes.

 **It wasn't going to be good…**


	3. Chapter 3

Shadow's feelings had completely changed. Fear and shock was replaced with anger and a little touch of admiration. Sonic was always so sure of himself and the ebony hedgehog had to admit that was something he very much respected. But no amount of veneration could overpower the burning rage exploding through his body like atomic bombs. It consumed every inch of his body as he rushed over to blue hedgehog, grabbing his neck and pinning him up against the wall. Amy screamed as she ran to the other side of the room, too overwhelmed and terrified to do much of anything.

"Who are **YOU** to speak of my past in such an impolite manner? I never asked for your or anyone's opinion, yet you assume you have the right to confront me on a topic as touchy as my memories. I hope you realize that all you're doing is making things more heated between us. This is why you're a stupid kid, stop barging into my mind or I will be forced to rip out every bone in your body one…by….one." He tightened his grip around the azure hedgehog's neck who was starting to struggle for oxygen.

" **SHADOW**! Let him go already. He's suffered enough!" Amy yelled from behind a lamp at the corner of the room.

The black hedgehog released Sonic from his grip and bit his lip watching him fall to the floor barely conscious. He marched out of the room as Amy sprinted over and cuddled the poor cobalt hedgehog nearly smothering him. A sense of sadness emanated from his eyes as he pushed her away.

"It's okay, I pushed it and I deserved to get my ass handed to me. Maybe I just need to stop trying." Sonic whimpered as he felt his eyes tear up just a little.

"It's not your fault, my love. You're just trying to support him. He's too much of a jerk. You should put your energy into something or someone more important." She stated comfortingly as she tried to get closer to the almost crying sapphire hedgehog.

"No Amy… it _is_ my fault and I need to own up to it." He confirmed with a sad nod.

Shadows thoughts flew through his brain at speeds almost as quick as the flames burning in his eyes. The amount of pure anger was something he hadn't experienced before. Running past the bedroom, he threw a chair against the wall attempting to get out his frustration.

 _(What in the world was he trying to accomplish? He acted like he was doing me a huge favor. What a self-centered egotist)._ Shadow thought as he snatched the chair and placed it exactly where he found it at the dining room table. He exited the house walking quickly and erratically attempting to get back home without destroying the town out of rage.

This was the final straw. He wasn't going to confront Sonic until he got one hell of an apology.

His anger died down for a split second as he imagined what kind of apology the cobalt hedgehog would have to give in order for him to feel satisfied. His face blushed slightly as he imagined Sonic dressed in a cute maid outfit begging for forgiveness.

 _*("I'm sorry_ _shadoooww-senpai,_ _I didn't mean to make you angry, will you ever forgive meee~." The azure hedgehog cried out in a sweet almost feminine voice while pouring a cup of tea.)*_

The daydream was interrupted by pain as he realized he had collided with a tree. Jumping back, he walked around the shrub, trying to control his thoughts. These kinds of desires were becoming a real nuisance and always seemed to catch him off guard.

 _(No, no! Must not give into any form of temptation. His apology is going to have to be real and sincere.)_

The ebony hedgehog sprinted back home as he winced at his still fresh wounds. Sonic never really finished patching him up. He opened the wooden door to his little home and walked in with his heart still racing with frustration. The house was quite modern with beautiful wood flooring and a simple open-layout. Nothing was out of order or unsymmetrical even the rugs were at the correct angle.

 _(I don't need his help, I never needed anyone's help. I can handle things completely on my own.)_ He thought as he collapsed on the couch.

The living room felt strangely quiet as the ticking of a clock was the only sound piercing through the stillness. The sun was just starting to set as he pulled a pillow over his face, wondering how he got so exhausted in the first place.

"Might as well, take a nap. It's been a long day…" Shadows eyes slowly drooped down as he fell into a deep sleep.

* * *

Eerie wind blew through the trees as the sky was turning crimson-gold to black. Shadow shivered as he slowly walked through a forest practically blinded by a sense of overwhelming panic. Noises seemed to follow his steps as he attempted to find an escape, but the woodland seemed never-ending. His body felt weak and delicate as he desperately handled his way around all the trees and shrubbery through the darkness. He decided to stop walking and evaluate the situation.

"It's okay Shadow… You're okay, you'll find a way out. Just keep moving forward and don't look back." He talked to himself with a warm tone.

The talking didn't seem to make him feel any less afraid, but before he could continue moving forward a young most likely male voice creeped into his ears.

"What are YOU hiding from…..? Am I really that scary?" The voice queried with a teasing childlike tone. The ebony hedgehog turned around looking in all directions for a creature or person, but it seemed to have no physical form.

"I can see you, I can always see you and I am here to shield you from the pain. Someday, you will be able to see me too, but until then you will to have to be patient, Shadow the Hedgehog." The adolescent voice seemed to vanish with the wind as the ebony hedgehog closed his eyes tightly, frantically trying to keep himself composed.

 _(Maria, please, dear god help me. I need your love and support NOW. Weren't we supposed to protect each other? Why did you have to leave me all alone in this crazy world without any memories, friends or family? Why can't we just be together?)_ Shadow urgently begged in his head as he noticed tears running down his face.

 _(Why must I always be alone…?)_ He thought, brushing the tears from his eyes.

He fell to the ground, wrapping his arms around his knees, as the child's voice came rustling back through the trees.

" **YOU… ARE…. NOT…. ALONE….** " Echoed through the woods, making Shadow feel a slight chilling sense of comfort.

 _(Who are you, strange child?)_


	4. Chapter 4

Shadow's eyes shot open as he awoke in a familiar place. Everything in his living room was neat and organized besides himself. The ebony hedgehog blinked as he noticed it was just a nightmare. Wiping the tears from his face, he moved his body from the contortion position he woke up in.

"Man… that was intense". He whispered with his ruby eyes glimmering against the daylight of the morning sun.

He quickly turned on the television as he threw his body off the couch and placed the pillow that lied on his face exactly where it belonged. He flipped through the stations before finding the news, the commentator started reciting the latest broadcast.

"Good Morning Mobius, it is now 7:00 am and police are still struggling to locate the whereabouts of the criminal Dr. Ivo Robotnik, who disappeared roughly last Friday. He is most notably known for directing machines to destroy valuable parts of our police and government force. If you have any information regarding his location you have been asked to call the number listed below." The newscaster nodded before switching to commercial break.

 _(Did the Dr. really decide to give up? That isn't like him. He must have something up his sleeve. Never mind that, didn't I come home around 6 pm, did I really sleep that much? I usually sleep a max of 5 hours a night. I can already tell this is going to be a weird day.)_ He contemplated while walking through the living room into the beautifully crafted kitchen with marble counter tops and turbo-stove.

"Anything in particular you want for breakfast, Maria? I happen to be **absolutely** starving." He looked over at a picture frame hanging on the wall right above him. A girl in her early teens was standing next to her grandfather. Her golden hair and blue eyes were beaming, almost embracing Shadow with a shroud of comfort.

"I think we will have to make do with scrambled eggs, I'm in no shape to travel to the market". He declared with a short snicker while gently cracking eggs into a large bowl.

As he mixed all the ingredients together he thought of the voice from his nightmare. It sounded somewhat familiar. However he didn't know any young children, at least not well enough for him to remember their voices.

 _(Hmm… I'm sure it's nothing… it was just a bad dream, right? But why would a child's voice fuel such a horrifying sense of feebleness.)_ Shadow thought as he poured the egg solution into a pan.

"Hay Maria, do you think a **demon** is following me or something?" Shadow asked the picture as he folded the partially cooked eggs on the stove.

"If so, it must be _awful_ at finding people because I'm already corrupted as it is." He proclaimed loudly with a grin on his face and a single laugh.

"I kind of wish I knew more what you sounded like. You probably have a beautiful singing voice based on your picture. I must say you really must have taught me to appreciate music by how much I love it. Speaking of which, I need to call the boss and ask him when my next project is due. Jingles don't write themselves you know." He glanced at the calendar and sighed when he realized it had no more information then he already knew.

"Man, if people see me like this, they will think I'm crazy. Not that I _care_ about what other people think, but still. I really wonder if my feelings are even accurate or if this is some elaborate scheme." His voice was drowned out by the sound of the sizzling eggs.

"They're all I have so I guess I have no choice but to accept them as fact. I know you died because of me, but that's where my memories start and end and even that memory is sometimes fuzzy." He averred frustratingly before looking at the young girl closely.

"Did you save me from my nightmare, Maria?" He inquired sweetly while a smile of affection creeped onto his face.

"You always seem to come when I need you most, _even though you're no longer here_ …" Shadow whispered as he turned off the burner.

The house was again very silent except for the occasional chirping of the birds or ticking of the clock.  
His smiling face turned to a frown as he put the eggs on two separate plates, making sure they were completely equal.

"Enjoy the food, my **only** true friend." He uttered with a quick nod.

He sat one plate as close to the picture as possible and took the other to the dining room next to the kitchen. He began eating slowly thinking about all that happened yesterday. Sonic had been acting very odd. He went from being laid back to almost being clingy and the more they communicated the more desperate and forceful the blue hedgehog became. Shadow glanced out the window and watched the birds fly from tree to tree grabbing sticks with their little beaks.

 _(Maybe it's best for us to separate completely. All we do is fight, after all.)_ He thought as he let out a shy sigh, but every part of his body was telling him 'NO'.

Why?

Why did Sonic have such a large impact on his feelings and actions? It shouldn't be that way right? He and the cobalt hedgehog weren't even really friends at best they were acquaintances at worst enemies.

 _(That feeling I get around him... What does it mean? Hell, I'm not even sure what feeling it is. Lust? Far from it, I never wanted to do anything sexual to him. Hate? If so why would I day dream of him on a daily basis. I mean if I really loathed him I could just eliminate him from my life completely. Jealousy? Maybe a little. He is always getting constant attention and love from practically everyone. Who wouldn't be a little jealous of that? Still, that doesn't feel quite right. His eyes froze as he noticed the only word that felt remotely right was_ _ **affection**_ _...?)_ A knock interrupted Shadow's thought process as he finished the last of his eggs before roaring at the door.

"Just a minute! I need to clean up something!" He declared as he rushed into the kitchen to clean his dish and place Maria's in the fridge.

Finally, he strolled over to see who was visiting him so early in the morning. Opening the door, he felt a tad uneasy. Whoever was standing behind the door was **not** in a good mood and he could tell just from the aura of the area.

"May I ask who is visiting me on this fine morning?" Shadow requested with a polite tone.

 **"** **Your worst nightmare…!"** Shouted a familiar voice.


	5. Chapter 5

The door slammed open as Shadow took a few steps back in defense so the object didn't collide with his face. He stood in silence as a two tailed fox glared at him with a look one could describe as **deadly.**

"Good Morning Tails, you seem to be a _tad_ on the peeved side. What is it with you people and breaking down doors anyway?" Shadow stated sarcastically with his hand resting on his hip.

"What in the **world** did you do to Sonic?! He's a complete train-wreck. He hasn't come out of his room since yesterday evening." The fox asked with his adolescent voice trying to sound assertive.

The charcoal hedgehog didn't really fall for it. He knew Tails couldn't do anything to him, then again the ebony hedgehog had no chaos emeralds so he didn't really want to waste his limited energy on a brat. As hard as it was, he decided to _try_ and take the fox seriously.

"All I did was rough him up a little, I've done it probably two to three dozen times. Not sure why he decided to have a mental breakdown **now** and quite bluntly, _I don't care_." Shadow responded with an incredibly uninterested tone.

Deep down inside he did care, quite a lot actually. The thought of Sonic's crying face practically **destroyed** him inside, but it wasn't his fault. The azure hedgehog pushed his buttons too hard and he was merely standing up for himself. Tails let out an annoyed sigh and finally a deep breath trying to dye down his rage.

"If you hate him so much, why talk to him? You only cause him trouble. You're the only person that makes Sonic cry and that disgusts me. It's my responsibility to protect him from demons like you!" Tails declared as he pointed his finger at Shadow with assurance.

The ebony hedgehog laughed a little inside. _A demon really?_ He wasn't that evil and even he was willing to accept that. Shadow frowned in response even though he thought he might burst into laughter at any moment.

 _(Is it really true? Is Sonic crying because of me or is Tails merely overreacting? I did nothing too extreme right? I mean I did kind of strangle him but that's nothing new.)_ The ebony hedgehogs mind wondered a bit as he tried to comprehend the azure hedgehog's sporadic emotional eruption.

The kitsune noticed Shadow's slow change of expression from uninterested to slightly concerned. He decided to take advantage of the moment and put his plan into action.

"In fact, I think we can make a deal. As Sonic's best friend, I can persuade him rather easily. If you do me a little favor, I'll make sure he never bothers you again. I know a few things that are bound to make him _run in the opposite direction._ You get what you want and I get what I want." Tails affirmed with a secure nod as he stared the ebony hedgehog down.

"What **exactly** are you going to tell him, shorty?" Shadow questioned with his eyes staring right back at the foxes face.

"That's for me to decide, don't worry I don't know anything too personal and I may fib a little; but in the end, he will be out of your quills and I will get back the Sonic I know and love. All you need to do is power a device that can locate Chaos Emeralds. I know, for a fact, your body is filled with Chaos Energy. Don't worry, I already prepared a way to relocate the power from you to the machine and I'm 89.976% sure it won't destroy you and/or the lab in the process." Tails confirmed with a grin as he handed Shadow the designs of how the transfer was going to work.

"Do we have ourselves a deal, Mr. Shadow?" Tails queried as he held his hand out preparing for an immediate shake.

"What makes you think I _believe_ you? What information do you know that could make Sonic hate me anymore then he already does?" Shadow asked with a skeptical tone.

"His disgust for me has never stopped him from tampering into my life before. What makes you think that a kid like you can keep him from tormenting me?" The ebony hedgehog continued with the face of someone who just check-mated a chess game.

"Because I have an IQ of over 300 and even **you** know that Sonic doesn't like it when people are able to see through him. I know exactly who he is and I'm willing to use it against him for his own safety." Tails confirmed confidently.

"You're not the first person I did this to. I can assure you he will no longer be problematic." He stated as he wobbled his hand a little wanting the ebony hedgehog to shake it.

Shadow stood in silence wondering about the ramifications. If he made this deal their friendship, or lack thereof, would most like diminish into pure rivalry. **Why did that hurt him inside so badly?** Even though he hated to admit it, he did appreciate Sonic's relentless help and support, but it was better for him, wasn't it? He really wanted this bickering to end and for Sonic to go back to being himself. For his sake, he had to do this. Even though it was practically eating him alive, **Sonic's mental health was more important to the ebony hedgehog then his own internal desires.**

"Sounds like a plan, you bring me to your workshop and I'll power the thing up." He said weakly as he shook Tails' hand with a look of complete defeat.

The yellow fox was incredibly astonished by Shadows reaction. It was almost like he was giving a child up or saying goodbye to someone he deeply cared about. He felt a tad sorry, even though the ebony hedgehog caused so much pain, he did have feelings. But, Tails was quickly reminded of how upset Sonic sounded this morning and the flame in his soul ignited once again.

 **He was going to separate them rather Sonic liked it or not.**


	6. Chapter 6

Tails strolled out of Shadow's small yet sleek house with pride as he assumed he'd gotten the black hedgehog out of the equation. All he wanted was for Sonic to be safe and if he had to use unorthodox tactics, _he would_.

Walking through the forest to the kitsune's lab, the ebony hedgehog's body felt slightly weaker than usual. The nightmare must have sapped all his energy away, or maybe it was the fact that he would never hear the cobalt hedgehog apologies for the day before. If Tails was being completely serious, that event would be the last time Sonic would ever care for him. It annoyed Shadow greatly, the fact that he felt so heartbroken and disjointed.

As they paced through the large green woodland and into town, Tail's felt an odd vibe emanating from the slow moving hedgehog. He looked almost as miserable as Sonic sounded that morning and took this as a bad sign.

 _(They both feel the same that is not good... At all. I need to take care of this before it gets out of hand.)_ He thought as he walked past a few buildings of the cute city.

It looked just like a tiny rural town. Everything was a little behind the times and everybody seemed to know everyone. There were only a few places to go, but it looked to have what all the folks needed. Mothers were gently holding there children's hands as they strolled from one place to another and everything seemed peaceful and quaint. Shadow liked it a lot and wished he could live in one of the cute cottages in the housing district. But no one wanted a _villain_ staining the Mobian reputation. There was almost no crime since Sonic and the police force were constantly watching the town's people. It was so serene, almost like a hidden Utopia. That was until people started noticing the black hedgehog's presence. Individuals were avoiding him and no one **dared** to look at him for more than a split second. Children quickly hid behind their mothers and all side conversations instantly stopped as he passed.

( _They don't know me. Why the heck are they judging me? I never did anything wrong besides beat up their hero a few times. Well I guess that's all the reason they need to start a Shadow the Hedgehog hate club.)_ He thought with his ears bent downward in slight embarrassment as he began to imagine how cute the immature blue hedgehog would look if he was the only one trying to convince people that Shadow wasn't really that bad.

The kitsune and hedgehog walked passed the final shop before arriving at the housing district. The cottages were small and somewhat fragile, but Shadows inner girl got the best of him as he just had to admire how darn cute they were. Asking Tails all different kinds of questions about architecture and costs. He responded annoyingly and gave quick undescriptive replies attempting to force the ebony hedgehog to shut up as soon as possible. When they walked past the little houses they started to get to the more expensive ones. This is where most of the high officials in government, military, medical and police would live. After that was the celebrity district filled with exotic and luxurious mansions. Finally, they arrived at the lab, pretty average looking with a hint of class, and right next door was the largest and most beautiful house in the town. The architecture was very classic, it was around 3 stories and covered with beautiful arches, stone statues and a gorgeous garden in the back. Shadow assumed it was owned by the president of the town or something, but was surprised when he felt a strange sense of **déjà vu**.

"Make yourself at home, Sonics house is right next door. I can talk to him right now, if you want. Unless you have some final words." The kitsune queried with an almost evil tone making Shadow feel slightly uncomfortable.

"Wait! That giant mansion is where **Sonic** lives? I thought it was like the leader's house!" The ebony hedgehog replied curiously as he remembered that's where Sonic brought him when the entire glass situation happened.

 _(Man, if I knew he lived in such a breathtaking home, I would have taken a better look around when I left. I was so angry that I never really noticed. The entire time I was staring right at the ground trying to keep myself from destroying everything in my wake.)_ Shadow thought as Tails waved his hand in front of his face as the kitsune noticed he was staring off into space and completely oblivious to him trying to explain the situation.

"Hay **listen up**! He is the main protector of the town so the government gives him pretty much anything he wants. I don't really think he lets it get to him, though. He always finds a way to make things more challenging." Tails replied in a matter-of-fact tone like it was common knowledge. 

Shadow knew that but the biggest best mansion in the whole city? That seemed slightly shifty. Sonic always seemed a bit off compared to the rest of the Mobians and people respected him very carefully. Even children were incredibly polite to him. Shadow felt a strange shiver run up his spine.

 ** _(Are people secretly afraid of him?)_** He thought as he felt his body stiffen a little in slight fear.

"It is a bit strange isn't it? I guess I didn't get the memo because I have no idea why the town acts the way they do. I wish people would talk about it but every time I bring it up the person freezes and turns around. I suppose we'll both have to learn eventually." He gave Shadow a quick nod before walking out of the lab on his way to the azure hedgehog's Victorian style manor, leaving the ebony hedgehog to rummage through his thoughts and feelings.

As Shadow continued to wonder about how the stupid innocent kid could possibly frighten a whole town an image of his crying face started to torture his mind. He lied his head on his hand before letting out a single whimper before catching himself from crying.

 _(I need to keep calm, soon this will all be over and I can go back to doing what I want, when I want without a stupid kid questioning my life decisions.)_ He assumed as he sat on the couch, looking at all the crazy gadgets lined up on tables in front of him.

They all seemed to be filled with so much passion. Tails really loved Sonic that much? After all, these gadgets were designed to help him protect his best friend.

 _(It must be nice having someone care for you unconditionally like that.)_ The ebony hedgehog thought as his eyes widened with shock.

He was expecting to start thinking about Maria, but instead his mind was filled with the kindness of _someone else_. His face flushed as it felt very different. He loved Maria with every fiber of his being, however he never really desired anything more than the thought of her. Was it the same with the person in his head? Sonic had practically taken over his mind without any effort. It didn't really matter how he felt anyway. He made his decision and was going to stick with it.

No matter… how much it hurt.

The wind blew through the open windows of the lab, bringing fresh air to Shadow as he tried to hold back the tears. Tails would be back any moment and knew if he started crying, stopping could take hours. He decided to distract himself by walking over and examining the many books the kitsune had lying around. The majority of them were on chemistry, inventing or simple science, but there was one that stood out.

The title read " _Psychology Journal Issue #5_ : How to help mentally traumatized victims forgive the past and look towards the future."

The words pierced Shadow in a place he couldn't really explain. It was almost like the book was seeing straight into him. He quickly asked himself what power existed in these words that caused such a **violent** reaction. He immediately thought back to his rivalry/friendship with Sonic. The fear, the inability to open up and the incredibly ferocious anger. Was it all because he had no way of confronting his past? He knew Maria died because of him. If he could find a way to remember, maybe it would be easier to confront. The azure hedgehog wanted to help him recover from the event, but the ebony hedgehog wasn't crying out for help, right? He didn't purposely try and make people feel sorry for him or _maybe_ that wasn't the point. Perhaps something that wasn't obvious to Shadow might be apparent to another. The cobalt hedgehog reaching out could be a response to his own slight signs of affection and weakness. He recognized that those feelings weren't a lie. They were very real. But if he turned it off completely, every feeling that is, maybe Sonic wouldn't be so inclined to mess with his mind... and _heart_.

 **How could he keep Sonic as safe and happy as possible without destroying himself and their** ** _friendship_** **in the process?**

His heart felt weak and yet his mind was still willing to fight. Fight to push away anything that might hurt him or penetrate his feeble soul. He would rather be completely alone then give anyone a chance to misuse him and yet somehow the thought of Sonic holding and protecting him never seemed more comforting as he tried to keep his mind from wandering any further.


	7. Chapter 7

Sonic laid on his bed wrapped in his favorite blanket as a few drops of tears soaked into the covering.

 _ **(What Tails said was unacceptable.)**_ He thought as he continued to snuggle the comforter while gently rubbing it against his eyes.

As the azure hedgehog turned his head to gaze out the window, he sensed a feeling. A very bad, horrible, dreadful feeling. His ears perked up as he saw Shadow next door in the lab.

(What in the world does Tails want with him?)

Sonic's eyes shot open as he threw the blanket off his body and marched out of his bedroom a bit on edge.

 ** _(Something isn't right at all.)_**

The ebony hedgehog set the book where he found it, not really wanting to know the answers. He decided to push away his thoughts until later as he heard Tails fly back into his workshop. The kitsune closed the door behind him, stealthily locking it completely shut.

"All taken care of Shadow. I must admit, his reaction was surprising. He actually fought with me a little, but don't worry he ended up accepting what I said." Tails stated with a very phony smile as he started to walk over to the black hedgehog who looked as if he was on the brink of mentally collapsing.

Shadow was still in a state of shock as he nodded to the little fox making it clear that he was fine. This relieved the kitsune a little as he decided to put his plan into action.

Tails quickly passed by him and walked over to one of the machines he had been looking at and snatched it from the pedestal it was located on. It was a simple radar screen with a little antenna.

" **This** is supposed to be able to _locate_ Chaos Emeralds? You must be joking." Shadow inquired sarcastically as he poked the front of the screen.

"All it does is look for spikes in energy. Think of it as an advanced metal detector, the only difference being it's looking for strong signals of Chaos Energy." He revealed as he set down another contraption.

Shadow stared at the round slab of steel with a look of curiosity as Tails hooked the invention to the Chaos Emerald Locator.

"And this is what will be transferring the energy. It yanks the Chaos energy from your body using static electricity. The science is really quite fascinating. All you have to do is take off your glove and put your hand on top of it and when I turn it, don't be alarmed, but you might feel a _little_ tingle. When the screen on the radar lights up you will be done and may remove your hand." Tails explained showing the instructional designs and pointing out the steps.

"Are you sure this won't destroy **everything** around us?" Shadow asked hesitantly.

"Were you _not_ listening earlier? I said I was 89.976% certain that you and your surroundings will live to see another day. Those are the best odds I've ever had." The fox pointed at the designs again showing the exact number.

"Alright, but if I lose some quills due to flames, _I'm blaming you_ …" Shadow declared as he started to take off his glove and put his hand over the metal slab connected to the device.

"Don't be such a pansy, Shadow. I did my end of the bargain and now it's your turn." Tails assured with a smirk.

He backed away a few feet and just as Shadow was starting to have second thoughts, switched on the machine. The ebony hedgehog could feel his energy being drained and placed into the device as little bolts of lightning ran up his fingers. He was surprised to notice no pain. In fact, if anything, it was kind of _soothing_. The surge of electricity continued for a few more seconds before the device started to make all kinds of weird noises. Crackles and pops flooded through the lab like fireworks. This wasn't a good sign and Tails took an even larger step back as the sounds became more prominent. BOOM

The mechanism exploded into pieces as a huge surge of chaos energy erupted in all directions. Hitting both the Chaos Emerald Detector, completely destroying it, and Shadow in the process. Tails was fortunate, he had put enough space between him and the machine that he didn't get wounded. The ebony hedgehog, on the other hand, wasn't so lucky. His body rested on the cold floor after being catapulted against the wall, practically lifeless. Tails quickly staggered over to check if he was still alive.

"No no no no no! I didn't want to **kill** him, I don't hate him _that much._ All I wanted was to sap his power!" He howled desperately as he checked Shadows wrists.

There was a pulse, but it was inconsistent. His heart must be having trouble keeping up after being drained most of its energy. He knew he needed help, but if he opened the door Sonic would come rushing in to save the day and the kitsune wanted him completely out of the situation. He pressed a little button underneath one of his many experiment tables and a hidden door opened as he lifted the unresponsive hedgehog, placing him on the couch.

"I'm sorry, I was almost **certain** this wouldn't happen. I will take full responsibility, but only because it's  my fault." Tails said irritatingly while rushing out the secret door. His thoughts were running with who he could possible run to for help as Shadows shallow breathing continued to get even more unpredictable.

Sonic felt the aftereffect of the chaos energy explosion and dashed out of his home as quickly as he could. Is Tails trying to murder Shadow using his own power? _That's incredibly twisted_! He marched towards the lab with motivation as he wiggled the doorknob expecting it to easily open.

"Huh, it's locked... Tails… **TAILS! LET ME IN THIS INSTANT!** " Sonic shouted at the door banging as loud as he could.

He put his ear to the wall, hoping to hear the sounds of movement but heard nothing until:

" _Sonikuu… help me…_ " Shadow frantically cried out in his sleep as his body could sense his presence.

The blue quickster had never heard the ebony hedgehog sound so desperate. He knew he was in bad shape as he urgently pushed against the door.

"I'm right here. Let me in and I'll help you!" Sonic exclaimed comfortingly as he went back to the wall listening closely for a response.

Nothing.

 **That was it.** He didn't care what Tails thought. He didn't care what anyone thought. Shadow needed him and if he had to destroy an entire village for the ebony hedgehog in his time of weakness, he would. In other words,  nothing, especially a stupid door would stand in his way.

He backed up a few feet and got into his normal running position as he prepared himself for contact. He counted to three before sprinting as fast as he could, striking the door hard enough to make it go flying off the hinges.

He celebrated this accomplishment for a few seconds before running over to ebony hedgehog who was still struggling for oxygen.

* * *

Shadows eyes opened cautiously as he felt the sense of complete feebleness that plagued him in the prior nightmare. He looked around, but blackness covered his body. It was almost like he was looking from the view of a god observing down at the people. In the middle of the emptiness sat a silhouette of what looked like a young Mobian child with his face buried into his hands. Tears cascaded down his face as the ebony hedgehog could hear voices of speculation.

"I heard he killed those poor people. His parents should throw him in a mental asylum." Said one of the people followed by a response.

"I know, but he **IS** just a child, maybe he will grow up to be a nice young man."

"Demons cannot grow up to be gentlemen, Miss." Another voice spoke as the outline continued to sob.

"I have no idea what happened, please you gotta believe me. The lady, I must find her, so please give me another chance. I'll be better, **promise**!" The child begged and screamed with a tone of complete defeat and fear.

Shadow wanted to comfort the small creature but before he could even get his bearings on the situation everything went completely silent.

* * *

Sonic put his hand on Shadows face gently patting it. He was _eerily_ cold and motionless, the only movement being his breath which happened at an arbitrary rate. The cobalt hedgehog could sense how little energy the other had.

"I'm right here, I'm so sorry. This is all my fault. If I wasn't such an emotional basket case this morning, Tails would have been fine." He spoke soothingly trying to comfort the black hedgehog who wasn't responding to any form of physical contact.

"Please wake up, I want to talk to you. No, scratch that. I **need** to talk to you. I have some major apologizing to do." His voice started to choke as tears filled his eyes.

"I can't apologies if you die, Shadow. _Please_ …" He wrapped his arms tightly around his rival, resting his head on his soft white chest fur.

"Please be okay... If you wake up, I promise, I will do **_everything_** in my power to protect you." Sonic begged as he nuzzled his teary face into Shadows fur.

* * *

The ebony hedgehogs feeling of fear started to fade as the young voice from his dream sneaked into his ears.

"I'm right here. _Let me in_ and I'll help you." It whispered thoughtfully as Shadow watched a magnificent glow fill the vacant blackness.

As the light continued to grow, he experienced a paradise unlike anything he had ever seen. The sun was bright enough that he could watch the waves wash over his shoes and listen to wind blow at a very mild calming rate. He watched palm trees gently sway in the breeze. He could even smell the wonderful sea salt air. Everything was bright and warm with nothing but beauty stretching as far as he could see.

 _(Is this heaven?)_ He thought to himself as the utopia continued to become more vivid. He could feel a passionate happy sensation sweep over him.

No this is the feeling of…

 **Nirvana**


	8. Chapter 8

Shadow blinked as he felt a warm blanket envelope himself and wires touching almost every part of his body. The bed was slightly uncomfortable and he could barely move with how small it was.

 _(Where in the world am I? I thought I died and this is definitely not heaven.)_ He thought as he moved his body from side to side, attempting to get more breathing space.

He looked around the unbelievably spotless room. It was quite small with relatively boring tile flooring and wall paint. Shadow could hear the sounds of quick footsteps outside his room and realized it had to be a hospital. Right in front of him was a television and below it a counter with nothing but a giant bouquet of **blue roses**. He felt his body _heat_ up as he realized someone knew his favorite flower. They glimmered as the sun came out of the clouds for the first time that day and blushed as the little blue hedgehog skipped through his mind. These roses were practically the same color as him.

( _I wonder if he's alright. I know Tails probably scared him off; but I question if it was the right thing to do.)_ His thoughts continued to flow as he heard the clip clop of heels walk into his room.

A young bat with a beautiful face and figure to match stood staring at the crimson eyes of the charcoal hedgehog.

"How ya feeling _babe_? I heard you were in a coma, so I left my vacation early." A low raspy voice uttered with a laid back tone.

"Ah, Rouge. Aren't you a sight for sore eyes?" Shadow responded almost smiling before turning his head towards the flowers.

"You got me these, didn't you? They're absolutely beautiful." He added with a simple nod before lying his head back on the pillow.

"As much as I would have _loved_ to be the genius to get those, I only arrived a few minutes ago. I didn't have time to get you such an elaborate present. Whoever did though, they know you to a T. It must be a fan girl or... _boy_." Rouge replied with a playful look before sitting in the chair next to Shadow. She crossed her legs and sighed before gazing at the handsome hedgehog.

"If only I knew the key to Shadow's heart. I'm sure I could die happy." She rested her hand on her cheek almost embarrassed.

"As much as I appreciate the kind words, I have established that I have no interest in relationships. Even with someone as lovely as you." The ebony hedgehog laughed a little before gazing out the window attempting to distract himself from his thoughts on Sonic.

"Ooo… Do you feel that way about the person who got you those absolutely breathtaking roses? I think you would take advantage of someone like that and maybe have a little _fun_. You like the game just as much as I do." Rouge smiled as she bit her lip with anticipation, awaiting his cunning response.

"I'm not _that_ bad of a guy. The last thing the poor soul needs is a one night stand. Anyone who goes through that much trouble for me is not mentally sane." Shadow articulated somewhat annoyingly before turning back to Rouge and pointing at her face.

"Unlike you, I do not sell my soul to a bunch of drooling admirers. Not that I have much of a soul or fans to begin with, but yeah." Shadows eyes stared right at Rouge's before sitting up to face her.

"Oh my… those be fighting words. _Watch out or I might slip and fall on you._ " She threatened teasingly before giving him a flirtation wink.

"Don't you **even** go there! We have this mutual respect thing going on, remember? _Don't break my fragile heart already._ "The charcoal hedgehog declared mockingly as he reacted to her somewhat loving facial expression.

"You're just so darn cute. I can barely stand it. It's incredible that guys like you exist." She gave a genuine smile before patting the top of the ebony hedgehog's head.

"Hmm? Visit some dark alleys and I'm sure you'll meet more then you ever thought could exist." He responded awkwardly as Rouge stroked his head.

"No silly. Someone who doesn't care about my body. Never once have I seen you look at my chest. How can I not admire a guy like that?" She slid her finger a little behind the ebony hedgehog's ear before lifting her hand off his head. She knew she was making him feel uncomfortable, but it was hard resisting the urge to touch him.

"There's more to a person then their appearance. Although, if you want my advice. Put on some less revealing clothing and see if you get as many horny fanboys." Shadow pointed to her tight mid-thigh summer dress.

"You're _sucha_ sweetheart. Well it seems like you're doing better, so I'm going back to my vacation. If that's alright?" She said before patting his shoulder comfortingly.

"Fine, leave me all alone in the cold. See if I care." Shadow lied back down before wrapping the blanket back around himself.

He was actually a little disappointed. Rouge was the only person he could really be honest with. Deep down inside she was a wonderful person and he very much respected their friendship.

"Don't be like that, I'm sure your _secret admirer_ will make you feel way better than I ever could. Text me when you get out of the hospital sweet-cakes." She gave one last wink before standing up and exiting the room with her hips swaying from side to side.

The room went back to being silent besides the annoying contraption that kept monitoring the ebony hedgehog's vitals. He decided there wasn't a better time to try and take a little nap since he was all alone. He closed his eyes tight hoping that it would relieve his mind before hearing footsteps echo into his room.

"Oh man. I thought maybe he'd wake up today. The doctors were **almost** certain." Bellowed an acquainted voice as Shadow felt a hand start to tenderly stroke his quills.

That nirvana feeling filled the ebony hedgehog's body again making his heart rate and blood pressure go to a very relaxed rate. His mind was at ease as well. For once Shadow felt somewhat... happy.

"Don't worry, I won't ever let this happen again." The voice whispered gently into his ear as he continued to sweetly pet Shadow's head.

"I still haven't given you a proper apology, so you better wake up soon." The voice stated teasingly before lowering it to a more serious tone.

"Just don't give up on me. I have so much to learn from you. I have so much more to learn **about** you." He stopped caressing the hedgehog and lifted his hand away making the feeling vanish almost immediately.

 _(No come back! I want to feel it again. I don't want it to ever leave._ _ **I want to feel it forever!**_ _)_ Shadow thought frantically as the desire for physical comfort started to consume his self-control.  
Sonic lifted his head to look at the monitor screen with all of the charcoal hedgehog's vitals to check if he was stable. They started to go a bit crazy before he felt arms wrap around his back and forcefully pull him down.

" **YOU WERE AWAKE THE ENTIRE TIME**?!" The cobalt exclaimed as Shadow snuggled him as close as possible.

He struggled attempting to release himself, but the ebony's grip was too strong and he couldn't escape. Not that he really wanted to. But if someone walked in and saw them, he would never forgive himself.

"Those things weren't meant to be heard, **idiot**! Do you have  ANY idea how angry I am at you?!" Sonic yelled embarrassingly as he could hear the charcoal hedgehog's heart beat slowly go back to normal.

"You can let me go now... I'm starting to have trouble breathing." Sonic asked not really wanting Shadow obey.

" ** _Never_**... not until you give me a **REAL** apology, you stupid kid." He responded desperately as he pushed the azure hedgehog even closer to his heart hoping this would be enough to quench his cravings.


	9. Chapter 9

Shadows grip subsided as he felt somewhat satisfied. The need for closeness hadn't completely vanished, but it was weak enough that he could regain control of his body. He released the cobalt from the hug and sighed as he pulled the blanket over his head. He was more than embarrassed, he was **ashamed**. Sonic had seen a side of him that no one else had ever seen besides Maria. But then again, with very little memory of the event, he almost didn't count it. The ebony fell silent as he shuffled underneath the covers awkwardly. Hoping that the azure quickster would take the hint that he wanted to be left alone. Instead, Sonic chuckled and patted the sheet where Shadow's head was located.

" _It's okay_... We all get like that sometimes. If you needed a hug so badly, you could have just asked. I wouldn't have laughed at you. Especially since you have been through so much this week." The blue hedgehog stated comfortingly as he looked at the calendar right below the television for clarification that it had been that long.

To him it felt like an eternity. Those long days waiting at the hospital had dragged out for long enough...

 **Weak,** that word rushed through the charcoal hedgehog's mind. He showed a great deal of feebleness to his own rival. In his eyes, that was the worst thing he could have possibly done. Sonic can now use this to his own advantage and hit Shadow where it hurts most. Especially after whatever Tails told him, he could be in a ton of trouble.

" **Never**... _ever_... tell anyone what just happened, faker. Or I swear, I will kill you. Don't you  dare underestimate me just because I showed a little softness." Shadow pulled the blanket off his body and stared the azure hedgehog down with anger and slight fear coursing through his veins.

Sonic took a few steps back but continued to look at Shadow with the same sympathetic eyes which surprised the ebony greatly. He was expecting the cobalt to become annoyed and slash out in frustration but instead he continued to show a certain amount of admiration.

"I am _perfectly_ aware of the power the great Shadow the Hedgehog holds. What makes you think I would ever use a moment like this to my benefit? Weakness isn't immoral Shadow. Yes, it's important to stand your ground but it takes a much stronger man to cry then it is to swallow it down and pretend it doesn't exist." Sonic explained with a slight smile as he turned toward the blue roses while preventing contact with the ebony's scarlet eyes.

"What is wrong with you?! We are **RIVALS** , which means were supposed to keep our weaknesses to ourselves. Why do you trust me so much? All I've ever done is complain about your immaturity and beat you up." He growled in response as the monitor began to beep because of his huge spike in heart rate.

He wasn't really that angry at Sonic, only himself. He didn't understand what the azure brat was trying to achieve besides make him feel incredibly guilty. This kind of manipulation was a big reason he didn't trust anyone.

Sonic had enough and decided it was time to explain his obsession. He recited the monologue in his head a few times before finally gaining the courage to speak.

"Shadow, don't you get it? I'm like you. Something happened a long time ago that completely messed me up. Because of it, I almost became an animal. I couldn't trust or empathize with anyone. It drove me crazy and all I felt was incredible guilt. So I invented this cocky, happy, free personality to combat the remorse. I'm proud of myself for saving so many people and protecting the town, but I never really cared for them. The only person I have ever wanted to protect..." He stopped as he realized this would be showing too much fondness. Like Shadow, he was very fearful of the consequences of showing weakness. But he knew, if someone didn't open up, nothing would be solved.

"Continue, Sonic. I'm curious." Shadow listened intently as he saw the azure close his eyes and take a deep breath.

Sonic recognized that he was really being listened to and for probably the first time ever. No one else would ever be that considerate. They would just pretend to listen and never talk about it again. This made him even more anxious. What he wanted to express would have to be spoken in exactly the right way.

"Everyone I saved was to distract myself from the pain of not being able to understand or connect with other Mobians. Yes, I know that sounds dramatic. But... **you**. You're different. I feel a sense of acceptance when I'm around you and I'm not the only one. You do that with everyone. It doesn't matter if they're black, white, young, old, male, female, hedgehog or fox. You accept people for who they are and even though you may not necessarily like them. You still treat them with respect." Sonic assured with his hand resting on his forehead as he felt a bit nervous.

"Of course, that's just common courtesy, everyone is different so why hate those who try and be or do something deemed unconventional." Shadow specified with a straightforward tone.

He believed everyone knew that. Why was Sonic making such a big deal out of it?

" **That's been my life, Shadow.** I have built this personality out of what other people expect of me. Because of the inability to have real feelings a lot of the time, I have to try and fake it for the sake of society. But, no one has ever thought _"_ _Hay I wonder what that guy really wants?"._ No, all they care about is that their hero is exactly what they expect an idol to be for the rest of eternity. Do you know how much that hurts, Shadow? Do you have any idea what I go through every day?! I'm trapped in an endless cycle of pretending then breaking down then pretending again!" Sonic bellowed with his face buried into his hands practically crying.

"Most of the time, I have to imitate what I believe a _perfect hero_ is so I can live a normal life in this little town without being persecuted. But if I could be free for only a few minutes a day and be who I want to be without fear, I would be satisfied. That's all I desire Shadow, a way out for just a short amount of time. It isn't as easy as just doing either. I need someone who will respect me no matter what and the only person who does that..." His voice trailed off as he rubbed the tears from his eyes before turning his head away from the ebony hedgehog, who was back to being shocked.

" ** _Is you_**. You're my way out and I am willing to sacrifice almost anything to gain your trust. Not to mention my actions almost got you killed. I want to help. All I ask in return is your reverence and kindness. I believe I need to be supported by someone who understands before I can truly find myself and gain the confidence to be who I want to be." He finished as he practically choked on his slight sobs.

"I never feel safer then when I'm close to you." The sapphire hedgehog whispered softly hoping that maybe Shadow didn't hear but by the look of his bright red face, he most certainly had.

Silence once again entered the room as the ebony looked through his mind to find an appropriate response. He felt terrible, he knew Sonic really cared for him and now understood why he was so persistent. It was like all the lights had come on at once and he wasn't mentally prepared for it. Not only did the kid feel exactly the same when near, he was also willing to explain something incredibly personal and most likely painful.

 _(He trusts me... That much?)_ The ebony thought as his body began to crave his closeness once again and this time it was more of a loving force whereas before it was more powerful.

Sonic, on the other hand, felt wonderful. All of those built up feelings were finally released and hopefully would be received. He felt a sense of pride and courage as he walked over to the bouquet of blue roses.

"Do you like them? I dyed them myself! They're real roses, but I used some very special paint that I bought at the store to make them blue. They very rarely have any actual blue roses at the market. Which is probably why you love them so much. Someone has to go to real trouble to **create** these." Sonic uttered with a smile attempting to prove to Shadow that he was serious.

The ebony hedgehog was even quieter as he gave him a nod of sincere thanks before lying back on the bed in perplexity. His mind raced with so many questions.

 _(Why me? What is it about me that is so appealing? Surely someone else is more suited to help him?! Is there really NO ONE who respects him more? Surely, Tails is trustworthy right? Well he is just a kid. Maybe it would be too much for him to handle and Amy... Don't even get me started on her.)_

Sonic noticed Shadow's contemplation and assumed this would be a great time to sweep him off his feet a little.

He walked over to the bed with a rose in hand and slipped the beautiful flower into his slick black and red quills.

"Know that everything I do from now on is to protect you. I never **EVER** want to hurt you again." He planted a gentle loving kiss on Shadow's forehead as a single tear fell out of the ruby eyes of the ebony hedgehog as if the affection was trying to escape his mind in any way possible.


	10. Chapter 10

"I guess you could say that I've -" The azure hedgehog was cut off by a loud knock followed by a request to enter. He felt a sense of relief as he knew the ebony hedgehog wasn't going to hear his last sentence.

"Just a minute, he's a _bit_ on the shy side today!" Sonic shouted at the visitor before patting Shadow's head softly and removing the flower from his quills.

"C'mon, get a hold of yourself now. There's someone waiting to visit you and I doubt you want them seeing you in this kind of state." Sonic whispered teasingly as he felt something slap his hand away.

"Don't touch me, faker..." The ebony hedgehog responded as he crossed his arms and turned the other way.

"There's the Shadow I'm used to. Welcome back, did you enjoy your _vacation_? I must say I've never seen you so dazed and speechless. It was downright  precious." Sonic pestered cutely as he put his hand on his hip.

"Go screw yourself. I don't have the energy to deal with your bull right now." Shadow felt his cheeks still warm as he tried to push the event out of his mind. Whatever was going on between him and Sonic would have to be dealt with later.

The voice repeated their prior request and the azure hedgehog responded giving his okay as Shadow was still trying to recover from the shock.

Footsteps echoed into the room as Sonic stepped out of the way so the doctor could get closer to the ebony hedgehog.

"How are you feeling, Mr. Shadow the Hedgehog?" The badger asked in a very strict, sophisticated tone.

"Like I got hit by a bus and forced to run a fifty mile marathon while bleeding out." Shadow responded muffled by the blanket shielding his still blushing face.

"I see, so not very well. Thankfully, there was no major damage. If you feel up to it, you may leave whenever you choose. However, I want to discuss some medical findings with you." He waved to Sonic who happened to be leaning against the wall and pointed to the door with his thumb.

"Unfortunately, I **cannot** discuss these with you in the room, unless the patient gives me permission."

Shadow smirked underneath the sheet as he knew the cobalt hedgehog wouldn't be pleased with the doctor's statement. Something about his annoyed face made him want to giggle with pure delight.

Sonic gave the badger a cold stare of frustration as if to say _(do you even know who I am?!)_.

" _Whatever_." He turned around and faced the door before giving Shadow a sweet smile and taking his leave. Even though the ebony hedgehog couldn't see anything, he could almost sense the sudden show of fondness. He continued to keep himself in control even though he desperately wanted to be held again.

The azure hedgehog walked down the hall glancing in all of the open rooms. Most were empty, but a few had patients and the cobalt hedgehog felt rather frustrated as he sensed absolutely **no** empathy. This had been plaguing him his entire life. It was so difficult to accept himself as a decent Mobian when his feelings were so limited. However, Shadow kind of flipped that theory on its head. Sonic looked deeply into himself as he stopped and stared through a window showing a huge room filled with sweet newborn Mobians. Normally, he hated children but for some reason his thoughts of the ebony hedgehog kind of made him think otherwise. After all these years of frustration, desperately trying to prove to himself that he wasn't some demonic entity, was he finally starting to heal? The cobalt hedgehog knew that the desire to protect Shadow was a very real emotion. He wasn't making it up and didn't have to pretend this time. He placed his hand on the glass as one of the babies opened his eyes to glare at the creature waking him from his slumber.

"Hay, little guy. I hope you're ready for a **long** and _fulfilling_ life because you're stuck here, just like me. Stuck in a world where no one will ever understand me and where I will never understand them back." He whispered attempting to make sure no one could really hear.

 _(If Shadow is helping me heal, then I have no choice but to keep trying.)_ His thoughts were filled with hope as his heart felt somewhat relieved.

Maybe he wasn't really that bad. Perhaps he just needed the right person to come along and help him find a way to live happily again. Unfortunately, as soon as he decided to leave the poor litters to theirs snoozing, a voice creeped behind him.

"Sonic! How are you my _sweetiebun_?! Why are you looking at babies like that? Is your biological clock starting to _bother_ you?" Amy asked as she started to hug the azure hedgehog lovingly but was quickly rejected.

"Amy, men don't have biological clocks. Well at least not in the normal sense and no I just happened to stop in this place as I was deep in thought. What are you doing here, anyway?" Sonic responded coldly as he started to lean against the glass frustratingly.

It's not like he hated Amy or anything but something about her always frustrated him. She constantly emphasized how amazing, loving and heroic he was and he new that wasn't him at all. He really thought of himself as an unsympathetic, heartless, unlikable spoiled brat who throws temper tantrums every time he doesn't get what he wants. The fact that he had to protect the town had nothing to do with who he really was and was probably the main source of most of his frustration.

"What's wrong? You seem to be in a bad mood... Did Shadow say something to you? That has to be why you're here, right. You have visited every single day starting a week ago." She said comfortingly trying to relax the azure hedgehog.

"Everything is wrong Amy. **Just everything**. You wouldn't understand not that I expect a teenage girl to understand anything but how to impress boys and put on makeup." Sonic responded sarcastically as he turned his head to the side to once again glance into the newborn room.

"That's **incredibly** prejudice! What is wrong with you?! I give you support and you not only shove me away but insult me right to my face. I know you're frustrated, I get it. But that doesn't mean you have the right to hurt me like that." Amy placed the palm of her hand on her cheek as her ears went down in pure disappointment.

Like always, Sonic noticed he didn't feel _anything_ and it greatly upset him. He wanted to care so badly but decided he would have to fake it. It was the right thing to do correct? To apologies that is. His mind ran with different scenarios of what normal **OTHER** people would do as he found exactly what he needed to say.

"Sorry Ames. I dunno what overcame me there. I think I'm just a bit anxious since Egghead hasn't shown up to play in a while. I think I'll probably go for a quick run and get my energy out." He answered reassuringly as he patted Amy on the shoulder sweetly. Strangely enough, she didn't fall for it this time.

"One of these days you will **snap** and I will be the first to support you. Remember that." She responded as she threw the azure hedgehogs arm off her shoulder angrily.

"Amy... _Really_! I am Sonic the Hedgehog, I think I'll survive." His face flushed fearfully as he thought she might have caught onto his little act.

"The only thing that can destroy you is yourself." She stated before quickly passing the slightly flabbergasted hedgehog on her way out the hall.

"I'm not that stupid. Just because I'm a teenage girl doesn't mean I don't know a **hypocrite** when I see one." She waved to Sonic as she frustratingly marched out the doors of the hospital.

Sonic felt slightly stunned as he looked back into the glass. He didn't like this at all and hoped that tomorrow Amy would forget all about it. His heart raced and his body started to fill with **dread**.

 _(If she tells someone...)_


	11. Chapter 11

The ebony hedgehog swiftly paced out of the hospital, ignoring all the looks of shock and occasional disgust on peoples faces. He wasn't very much appreciated in this little town and because the population was around four hounded, everyone knew him. He stood out like a sore thumb and always had that look of pure evil even though deep down inside he just wanted a chance like everyone else to prove that he wasn't actually that bad. As he hastily marched around the corner of the hospital, he was surprised to bump into a familiar face.

"Oh, hay _babe_! I see you're out of the hospital, did the doctors say anything important?" Rouge asked as she pulled her sunglasses off her eyes and gave him a flirtation wink.

"Never mind that, aren't you supposed to be on **vacation**?!" The ebony hedgehog responded with a slight glance to the side. If people saw Rouge flirting with him there would be glares from all around.

"I **AM** on vacation, I'm staying at the Emerald Resort right down the street from here. Why leave for somewhere far away when I can have the _luxury_ life right in my own backyard. By the way, you look like you could use a little _pick me up_. C'mon I know the perfect little pub just a block or two from here." Rouge specified pointing at Shadows less than stellar complexion and facial expressions.

"First of all, **this town is nothing but a raging pile of lies and disappointment**. Second of all, NO! You know I don't drink and Maria would _kill_ me!" The ebony hedgehog took a large step back as he spat out the words practically sickened by the thought.

"Speaking of death, you _sure_ it was a good idea to leave the hospital right after regaining consciences? I mean your health is very important to me. Remember the time you got that serious infection? I don't want anything like that happening again." She complained as she seemed concerned with the general sense of stress emanating from Shadow's body.

"I can assure you, I'm fine. There is no need to take care of me or worry about my well-being and yes I have been reminded plenty of times." He nodded with a soft sigh as he felt a slight sense of relief. Rouge seemed to know just the right things to say to make him calm down a little.

"Then have a drink with me. It will be on me. Also, there are some _really_ cute waiters there and I'm sure they're just **_dying_** to meet a bad boy like you." She put her finger to her lips reminding the charcoal hedgehog that she knew he wasn't really a 'bad boy' but the servers didn't know have to know that.

It was odd, Rouge and Sonic treated him very similarly. Both were a little pushy, rather affectionate and knew how to make him rage and relax practically at will. But there was again a **very** big difference. The azure hedgehog made his heart race and face flush practically without trying and Rouge, as much as he respected her support, wasn't embarrassed being around her. It was like the bat was almost a mother of sorts. She protected him and led him in the right direction but never asked for anything in return. If Sonic did that the ebony hedgehog would get very upset. The fact that the azure hedgehog was so demanding kind of made him feel _special_.

" _Really_? You're persuading me with the possibility of sex. That's kind of low, Rouge." He responded with a slight smirk.

She was right, men were one of his **favorite** pass times next to music, reading and cooking. It was odd even though he was a very strict rule follower he did have a bit of a dirty mind. Not to mention he was rather easy to seduce.

 _(Maria, please forgive me. Why must I be so damn immoral sometimes?)_ He thought sadly as he was reminded of all of his one-nighters.

It's no wonder Shadow had such a bad reputation. These kinds of guys just flocked to him in hopes of getting the bad boy treatment. What a weird world this is.

"As I said before, you _love_ the game just as much as I do. You just hate to admit it and that's  so damn adorable. When you put your mind to a guy they're always in the palm of your hand by the end of the night. Or should I say in YOU by the end of the night." She grinned, preparing for the charcoal hedgehog to slash out in embarrassment.

"Don't say such sexual things in public! There are children here and for your information, I'm the one usually in them. **THANK YOU VERY MUCH**!" Shadow put his hands up in defense as he leaned up against the wall attempting to look hardcore.

Rouge laughed uncontrollably as she tried to find an accurate response.

"There's a reason boys keep coming back and I don't think it's because of your _badass-ness_." She patted the ebony hedgehog's shoulder comfortingly trying to symbolize that he looked like a dork.

"It doesn't matter. I'm too _awesome and or amazing_ to hang out at a stupid bar anyway. I should probably just head home."

"Come on! Boys, drinks and fun await you. All you gotta do is swallow your pride, which may I remind you, is practically non-existent." She ruffled the ebony hedgehog's quills a little while giving him an affectionate smile.

He responded with a robust groan forcing his hand to collide with his face. This woman is so darn persistent that she makes Sonic look flexible.

"Fine, whatever." He uttered quietly before gently pushing her hand away from his head.

"Wonderful, and just fyi. All of the guys are _precious_ , exactly the kind you're looking for."

"Rouge, you already won. There's no need to continually bribe me. These guys better be downright _breathtaking_ or I'm so far gone you won't even realize I arrived to begin with and by the way, **ONE** drink." He pointed at Rouge with a stern frown as they started to stroll towards the bar.

"Of course, of course. I wouldn't want it any other way even though drunk Shadow is one of the sweetest and cutest things on the face of Mobius." She pinched his cheek teasingly as they continued to walk side by side.

"We will **NOT** speak of those few times!" The ebony hedgehog responded grunting angrily as he felt slightly insulted that she was treating him like a child.

"Fine, fine. You don't have to be so cold. By the way, did you find out who got you the flowers?" Rouge asked as she approached the cute little pub, opening the door for the black hedgehog.

Shadow's face instantly flushed as he almost fell over on top of the bat in shock that she would even mention it.

"Oh my. He's that dreamy, hmm? I would **LOVE** to meet him." She stated sarcastically as she walked up to one of the bar stools.

" **YOU WILL NOT LAY YOUR DISGUSTING LITTLE HANDS ON HIM!** " The charcoal hedgehog shouted with force as he noticed people were starting to stare at him in response to his rambunctious attitude. He calmly walked over to the bat before sitting next to her.

"Alright sheesh! Tell me who it was so I can avoid contact with him." Rouge responded as she ordered two mojito's and some chips to go along with their relatively awkward conversation.

"It's not important." The ebony hedgehog cleared his throat trying to make it look like he wasn't interested before taking a large gulp of his alcoholic beverage.

"You're a _really_ bad liar, ya know. Fine, let's play a game. I'll ask you a question and you will say yes or no." Rouge replied as she giggled at Shadow's interesting drinking technique. I guess the faster you get it in the sooner you can forgive yourself for drinking it in the first place.

"Fine..." He placed his hand on his cheek as he gave up trying to fight the stupid bat girl. He decided to order something a little stronger in hopes it would help relieve him of this constant obsession with his rival.

"Is he young?" She asked curiously while starting to drink her own beverage even though Shadow was already ordering his second.

"I would consider so." The ebony hedgehog replied slightly affectionately as he started to wonder about exactly how old Sonic was anyway.

"Is he handsome?" She asked teasingly noticing that Shadow was obviously thinking about him by the look of his somewhat serene face.

" _Unbelievably..._ " His face flushed as he realized the alcohol was forcing him to put down his defenses a little as he turned his head away in embarrassment.

"Do you think about him all the time?" Rouge patted his back as she noticed he was a bit buzzed and wanted to make sure he didn't get emotional like last time.

"Maybe..." He replied quietly and shyly before sighing in frustration.

"Yes or no, Shadow." She requested wanting the ebony hedgehog to confront the issue.

"Yes..." The charcoal hedgehog responded as he hid his face behind his drink in humiliation.

"Sounds like you're in love to me... With a bright, young, vibrant personality. Exactly the type you need." She explained as she slid her finger around the rim of her glass.

"You gonna tell him?" Rouge continued as she took another sip of her beverage.

"Are you **KIDDING**? Of course not!" The ebony hedgehog's body almost catapulted off the seat as the thought seemed absolutely outrageous. If only she knew who he was talking about then she would understand.

"Why not? He likes you. You like him. That's how relationships start 99.9 % of the time." She clarified with a wave of her hand before noticing Shadow's increasingly sensitive tone.

"I don't want a relationship, I just want the feeling to go away." He responded as he took one last sip of his second much heavier drink before dangling his head in defeat.

"Why? It doesn't make you happy? Love should be a wonderful thing to experience." She emphasized before reaching out attempting to pat the ebony hedgehogs head. He quickly swat it away.

"No, it's torture Rouge... It's destroying me from the inside." Shadow felt his eyes tear up a little as he laid his head on the bar table.

"Where are those waiters you were talking about? I think I need a little TLC." He complained as his body once again desired comfort.

"Sorry Shad. Seems like they're not here today. By the way, it's almost midnight. We should probably get you home." She grabbed his arm willing to give him any relief he needed but was quickly rejected as Shadow glared at her frustratingly.

"It's fine... I'll just get a taxi or something." He responded as he wiped the tears from his eyes.

"I need to clear my thoughts anyway..."


	12. Chapter 12

Jessabell: Hay guys. Just for clarification, this is around the same time Shadow got released from the hospital.

Sonic walked into Tail's lab with a few words in mind. After a week of practically no contact with the yellow fox he decided to confront him on the situation. The kitsune was gently polishing one his many inventions as he looked up from his session to glance at the azure hedgehog before looking back down at his device almost in shame.

"I think it's time we have a real conversation about this issue Tails. Now you know I love you like a brother and I would in no way ever want to harm you; but _intentionally_ disobeying my requests is not a way to get on my good side. We all have a right to our opinions, however, I deserve to be taken seriously. I have worked long and hard enough that you should not only respect my opinions but rightfully conform when I give an order." Sonic reminded him of his dark side and stared at the kitsune with evil eyes as if to say **_do not... underestimate me._**

Tails knew when Sonic started using big words, it was serious. He looked down at the ground as he talked softly and submissively attempting to show complete respect to the cobalt hedgehog.

"I only wanted to protect you. Shadow is the reason you're so depressed lately and I just want what's best for you." He continued to shine the gadget, practically hiding his face behind it. He didn't want to make his best friend angry.

"Oh, Shadow... _OF COURSE_. He's the source of my unhappiness!" Sonic stated sarcastically as he took a heated step closer to the almost cowering fox.

"No, the source of my sorrow is when my best friend tries to destroy my heart by spouting lies about someone I care very deeply about." He put his hand on Tails shoulders indicating that he was incredibly serious.

The kitsune looked up at the azure hedgehog with surprised eyes. Sonic never talked about anyone like that.

"Why? Why is he so special?! You can have whoever you want and yet you choose to obsess over a guy who doesn't deserve your support." The kitsune slapped Sonic's hand away before taking a step back and folding his arms in frustration.

"Because he cried out to me, Tails. He asked **me** for help. Do you know how rare that is?! Shadow would never call out to just anyone... If I don't help him, he will be lonely and miserable the rest of his existence. I want to protect him even if he doesn't appreciate it. To be honest, I don't really care what anyone else thinks. Please Tails, understand that I am perfectly happy the way things are and I am in no way depressed because of him. Yes, I might be a tad frustrated, but it's a work in progress." He articulated before placing his hand on the top of the foxes head.

"You would reach out to him even if he didn't cry out for help, that's why I'm concerned. He's going to hurt you Sonic, I can sense it." Tails whimpered a little as he felt a sense of regret. He knew the sapphire hedgehog really cared for Shadow and he did feel a tad jealous. However, what right did the charcoal hedgehog have to have the respect and admiration of the town's greatest and probably most powerful Mobian.

"If you really believe that, then let me learn the hard way. There's nothing wrong with experiencing a little pain and regret. Hell, a big reason I'm so depressed is I have been given everything my hearts desired and never had to work hard for anything. Shadow, makes me feel like a have a goal, a purpose, if you will. Tearing us apart will only make me feel worse. I want to find a way to feel whole again and I think working with him is the only way." The azure hedgehog guaranteed his thoughts were final and that this wasn't some crazy rebellious phase.

"I love you Sonic. I guess I'll have to trust you. Don't expect me to enjoy his company, but I will push that aside in the thoughts of helping you grow." The fox gave a quick nod before slapping the cobalt hedgehogs shoulder playfully.

"Thank you Tails, you are a wonderful little brother. You have always been there to aid me ever since we met. Your respect is more than enough to make me feel somewhat hopeful in this crazy world." He gave the kitsune a nod back before giving him a friendly high five.

"I wonder if he's out of the hospital yet. He seemed practically ready to bolt out of the place, not that I blame him. They're not a fun place to be." Sonic quickly shivered as he was reminded of the few times he had to be operated on after some of those really dangerous fights with Dr. Robotnik.

"I think I'm going to go wait at his house and _surprise_ him. Hopefully, he won't die of a heart attack." Sonic giggled somewhat evilly as his eyes started to turn a little corrupt.

"You're going to break into his house and wait until he comes home? I mean even I think that's a bit creepy. I can't imagine how he'll feel." Tails stared at the hedgehog in slight hesitation as he noticed Sonic had something inappropriate on his mind.

"I know! That's why I'm so excited. I want to see his response. He might even be a little _worn_ out from being trapped in that horrible place and I feel responsible for nursing his poor soul back to health. He is my responsibility now!" Sonic responded proudly with his hand resting on his chest.

He turned around and started to walk out the door as Tails slapped his hand against his own face.

"What in the world am I going to do with you?" He responded as he annoyingly waved goodbye to the all too enthusiastic hedgehog.

"Aww, c'mon lemme dream once in a while, lil bro!" Sonic replied as he dashed out of the lab with style.

Because of his incredible speed, he arrived at the ebony hedgehogs little house in mere seconds. It was deep in the woods, ten or so miles away from the town, where no one could find him. It was strangely peaceful and yet a little eerie. Sonic always had an abnormal attraction to places like this and felt slightly at home among the shrubbery and wild-life.

As he stepped up onto the porch where the front door was located, he noticed it was slightly broken, making it easy for him to enter. He shrugged before taking a few steps into the incredibly spotless and structured living room. Hanging from a coat hanger next to the door was an array of scarfs in all different colors and sizes.

 _(He must have a scarf fetish. What's the point of wearing winter wear without clothes, anyway?)_ He thought before getting a wicked and somewhat twisted idea.

He grabbed one of the shawls and shoved it into his face before inhaling deeply. As he suspected, it smelled exactly like the mysterious hedgehog. It was amazing, even his scent made him feel serene.

 _(I don't get it. I never feel this relaxed unless it involves him. Why does he have such incredible power over me? He makes me feel and do things I never thought I would do to anyone and yet I would sacrifice almost anything to be his friend.)_

 **Friend**... that word didn't feel quite right. But, that's all he could hope for right? They were rivals after all. His heart wanted so much more but his brain quickly ignored the desire as he knew Shadow would never accept anything of the sort. He pushed the scarf close to his chest and wobbled over to the couch and quickly collapsed on it as he continued to breath in the ebony hedgehog's soothing sent.. He was going to wait as long as he needed to.

His heart and body relaxed as his mind started to wonder about how in the **world** he was going to earn Shadow's respect and possibly... His face flushed as even his thoughts couldn't finish the sentence. He supposed that this was more of an issue of time, then anything. The longer and harder he tried the more difficult it would be to ignore, right? Or maybe it was more of a forcing problem. Shadow always seems to need a push to get him to face conflicts... Even though he pretends like he has everything under control. So possibly, if Sonic put him in a stressful situation where he **HAD** to tackle the issue then maybe things would get solved. It was worth a shot right?

His heart felt somewhat fearful as he didn't want to give the charcoal hedgehog any reason to hate him, but he HAD to do something.

 **Shadow would have to confront him, one way or another...**


	13. Chapter 13

Shadow sauntered over to the front door of his house barely able to see where he was going.

 _(Crap, I think I had too much... Well, hopefully some good rest will clear my mind better.)_ He hoped as the only thing he could think about was that stupid blue kid's adorable face.

His imagination ran wild with inappropriate desires as he was too drunk to really notice or care that the door was already open. He realized it was probably just the alcohol talking but he really wished that when he entered his home the little quickster would be quietly awaiting his arrival.

He took a few steps in quickly removing his shoes before noticing his stuff unorganized and placed where it hadn't been left. Shockingly, his wish came true, for a blue ball of fur was sleeping on the couch with his favorite scarf resting on top of his head. Shadow gave a grunt of annoyance before walking over to the resting hedgehog and grabbing the item.

"You little shit. Don't take things that don't belong to you..." The ebony hedgehog explained irritably even though he assumed Sonic wasn't listening.

Shadow yanked very violently before he finally freed the beautiful black scarf from Sonic's grasps. However, before the charcoal hedgehog could place the item in its appropriate location, a hand flew around his neck and pulled him face first onto the sofa. He reacted by quickly attempting to sit up in defense, but the cobalt jumped onto his back, swiftly pinning him completely down. The ebony struggled weakly for a minute or two before finally giving up and lying in silence. Sonic took this as a wonderful opportunity and pushed his hand under the Shadow's torso before growling mischievously.

"Fine, if I can't have the scarf then I'll have _you_ instead." The sapphire hedgehog whispered teasingly before burying his face deeply into his black quills and inhaling deeply, enjoying every second of the wonderful sensation.

"You creepy pervert! Get the hell off me! What in the world are you doing in my house at one in the morning anyway! Isn't it pass your bedtime?!" He responded mockingly in an attempt to mask the feeling of desire bubbling inside him. Sonic was so enticingly close and the nirvana feeling was practically irresistible. With the alcohol in his system, he needed to get the kid off quick before he lost complete control.

" _So~_ wheredja run off to Shadeeboo? I was **really** worried..." Sonic questioned with a sarcastic innocent tone as he stroked the black hedgehog's chest tenderly following it with suggestive purring.

"None of your business and stop touching me! The hell's gotten into you?!" He replied irritably before trying to push the cobalt's hand away but wasn't strong enough to win.

"Aww, don't be like that. It's not nice to worry someone who **cares** about you so much. I would die of heart break if anything happened to you." Sonic's tone of voice was still sarcastic but a little different. It sounded quite concerned, for he was actually very worried since Shadow came home especially late.

The azure ceased the stroking and lifted his body away from Shadow. He sighed in relief as he thought the event was over. However, before he could really escape Sonic grabbed his hips and flipped him over before sitting back down on his soft warm stomach.

For a while, they just stared at one another's glowing eyes. _Thinking, wondering, hoping_ that maybe they would find the answers they were looking for. Shadow turned his head to the side and groaned before finally answering Sonic's question to end the awkward state of silence.

"I was out with Rouge. We had a couple drinks and left." He said trying to make it sound as boring and plain as possible.

"Ah, gotcha! Wait... You never drink, though. Did something happen?" Sonic asked with a bit of a smile noticing it was probably because of him. He really wanted to hear Shadow say it though, so he decided to play dumb.

"Well besides her practically forcing me, I needed to clear my thoughts a little. My brain has been a matted mess for a while now and the alcohol actually ended up making things way worse." The ebony replied with a sigh of defeat as he detected Sonic's awareness of the situation.

"Yes, I've noticed... _Poor beautiful Shadow_... " The cobalt replied soothingly as he slid his hand over Shadow's slightly warm cheek, stroking it tenderly with his thumb.

The charcoal hedgehog closed his eyes in complete relaxation as Sonic continued. It was odd, such a simple motion was making him feel so much more serene than any kind of therapy could ever hope to accomplish.

"You really are a tough cookie _arent'cha._..? I've tried almost every technique to get you to trust me and yet you always seem to disappoint me. But I don't care. I love myself a challenge, after all." His eyes stared deeply at Shadow's peculiarly beautiful face as it happened to look a little more comfortable than before.

"I'm sorry, this has been frustrating for both of us. However, please be aware that I'm not attempting to make your life miserable. I am trying and **TRYING** being the key word to help you overcome some of these issues you've been facing lately. You can't run away from them Shadow and I know that for a fact. I have been sprinting from my problems my entire life and now all I want is for someone to listen. Even though you don't appreciate it, I am willing to show my support." Sonic gave him a somewhat bitter-sweet smile before his ears went down in slight distress.

There was utter silence for a few minutes as Shadow finally decided to talk about the state of affairs. He knew he had to be gentle but very straight forward to get the point across.

"I appreciate the thought but... I **can't** get attached to you. I realize that someday you will no longer be here and once again, I'll be all alone. I can't love you knowing I'm just going to lose you. According to what I know, I live practically forever and watching the ones I care about die before my eyes it's too much for me to handle. So please, just find someone else... I'm too far gone anyway..." The ebony hedgehog admitted as he patted the azure hedgehog's head softly trying to help him cope after being completely rejected.

Sonic's eyes shot open while focusing on Shadow's sympathetic face before bending down and practically bumping foreheads with him.

"Don't you get it Shads? **It's too late** **.** You can't hide from me forever. Do you really want to know why my eyes scare you so much? It's because you're going to have to confront them. Well, the time has come and you can't lie to yourself any longer." Sonic sneakily slid his hands down Shadow's sides and chuckled as he watched the charcoal hedgehog shiver in pure delight.

"Please no! I don't want to hurt anymore. Just leave me be. All this crap is going to end in vain and you're just going to give up. You could literally have anyone else. Please, there is someone better for you..." Shadow's face became especially emotional as little tears started to form in his eyes and eventually fall down his rosy pink cheeks. It felt as if the affection was starting to eat him alive as he could no longer hold in the pain.

The alcohol was making him especially vulnerable and he just wanted all of it to stop. All the aching, all the desire, all the fondness. He wanted it all eliminated from his mind but knew with the way Sonic was acting it would be practically impossible.

"Let me protect you Shadow and you won't ever be hurt again." Sonic gently uttered attempting to comfort the ebony with his soft loving voice.

"Once you're gone it will hurt! Isn't there someone else you can torment with your sweet nothings?!" Shadow regained a certain level of control as he forcefully pushed the azure off his body.

"Sweet nothings, hmm?" Sonic was looking especially demonic as his jade eyes stared at crimson irises with complete frustration.

"What do I have to do to make you understand how I feel?" Sonic placed his hand on the charcoal hedgehog's heart symbolizing that he was serious.

"I want you to recognize my personal space, faker!" Shadow spat fearfully trying to push everything including Sonic's hand and his own feelings as far away as possible.

That nickname ran through the cobalt's head as he felt especially rejected. All this time, he had supported, comforted and loved this stupid man who did nothing but disregard his attempts at any kind of close friendship. He hated thinking that everything he worked so hard for could end in a raging battle of anger and sorrow. However, he couldn't stay angry for long as he watched Shadow skootch to the other side of the couch as far away from the azure as possible. He looked so cute with his embarrassed face and tear filled eyes. Sonic realized this is why he needed to keep trying. There was hope in Shadow's beautiful shining scarlet eyes. They never lied and right now they were begging the cobalt to continue attempting to reach him.

"Trying to escape are we?" He asked playfully as he purred loudly making sure the charcoal hedgehog could hear.

"Screw off! Don't you know no means no!" Shadow growled in response trying to show that he was serious, but the sapphire hedgehog didn't buy it for a second.

Sonic decided he was going to have to be a little more forceful to make the ebony accept his compassion and realized there was only one way to accomplish that. He stealthily catapulted himself on top of Shadow and gave him a loving stare before pushing his face closer to him. The charcoal hedgehog tried shoving him away but in a twist of events gave up almost instantly. Slowly the azure hedgehog pressed his face against him. Gradually, their lips got closer and closer and closer before: **They finally met...**

The incredible feeling exploded in both of them as Sonic wrapped his arm around the other's neck, pushing his mouth against the ebony making him have to arch his back in response. Shadow gently pressed his hand against the back of the sapphire hedgehog's head. Completely startling him in the process as he wasn't used to him being so gentle. For a minute, both their hearts raced with excitement before eventually slowing down in complete relaxation.

As much as the charcoal hedgehog hated to admit it, this was the best and most loving feeling he had probably ever experienced. One simple movement completely destroyed any sense of fear or pain rushing through his body as he experienced a new wave of desire and fondness. A kind of fondness he couldn't describe. It was like the nirvana feeling but times a hundred. It made him happy, angry, sad, and slightly excited all at the same time. But most of all, it made him feel unbelievably safe. The safety he had yearned for ever since Dr. Eggman first awoke him. Every part of his body was tranquil as he made no attempts to push away. In fact, he wanted nothing more than to stay this way for the rest of his life. To be close, where nothing could harm his poor mistreated soul. Where him and Sonic could be happy, together. Where he could finally be himself... But sadly, all wonderful things must come to an end. After a few minutes, the azure broke the kiss and once again looked deeply into the ebony's ruby eyes. They looked somewhat different. They were larger, more expressive, more relaxed and much more beautiful than ever before. But most of all they were filled with so much affection that the cobalt felt as if he could burst into tears at any moment. After all this time, had he finally reached his rival?

"Um... _Soniku_... What was the last thing you were going to say before the doctor interrupted you?" Shadow asked in a very shy, loving, almost feminine tone as the sapphire hedgehog nuzzled his cheek sincerely.

"Does it matter?" He replied cutely while pushing aside the overwhelming desire to kiss him again.

"It does... it means more than I could **_ever_** express. _"_ The ebony uttered softly as he wrapped his arms around the azure hedgehogs back. His eyes glowing with love and admiration while pulling the other as close as possible.

 _"_ Well... You **do** deserve a straightforward answer, I suppose. Though, I think I've expressed myself quite clearly. I guess you could say that I've fallen for you. That's what I was going to say." Sonic whispered gently in the ebony's ear, making his cheeks flush almost as brightly as they possibly could.

Shadow glanced to the side as he placed both his hands on the cobalt hedgehogs red cheeks, not being able to gain the courage to respond to his _rivals_ confession. Instead, he pushed his body forward, giving the azure one final kiss. However, it was much more natural than the last as they both kissed back and forth almost creating a little game. Shadow even caught himself giggling a little in complete bliss before mentally punching himself in the nose for sounding so girly. Strangely though, he didn't feel ashamed as the comforting feeling of Sonic's embrace made him almost forgive his actions. Finally, after what seemed like forever, the ebony opened his eyes and their lips parted. He lied his head against the couch as the cobalt hedgehog continued to hold him and lovingly stroke his soft quills. His mind wondering exactly why everything felt so good. Not just the moment or the feeling but anything. His soul, body and heart were all fluttering in complete harmony. He then realized a very odd truth that he had been ignoring. This is what his heart desired the entire time... Ever since the beginning he wanted...

To be loved

The world seemed just a little more hopeful as Shadow sensed a certain level of completeness while counting the azure's heartbeat as if he were counting sheep. Before ultimately, drifting off into a beautiful wonderful dreamland filled with nothing but warmth and joy.

 _(I never feel safer than when I'm close to you... Sonic.)_


	14. Chapter 14

Sonic awoke in an unfamiliar place. Whoever's bedroom this was had a great sense of style. The morning sun bounced off bamboo wood flooring as everything was beautiful and warm. The room was relatively small but with everything organized and placed in very specific places, it looked much bigger then it really was. In the right corner of the room was a long desk with sheets of paper neatly placed in a pile and a rather sleek looking laptop which happened to be blinking green. The cobalt hedgehog desperately wanted to make the flashing stop so he could continue his wonderful snoozing but felt way too comfortable under the especially warm sheets to get out of bed. He stretched a little not too concerned where he was until he glanced to his right. A skinny black furred hedgehog with red highlights lied on the other side of the bed slowly breathing in and out with his body practically wrapped up in a ball. Sonic giggled a little as he was reminded of last evening. He decided to take a minute to appreciate the other's adorable sleeping position.

 _(I know the moment he wakes up, I'm going to be_ _ **destroyed**_ _. But man, I would never change yesterday night for anything.)_ He thought as he started to gently slide his fingers through the ebony hedgehog's quills.

Shadow reacted by turning towards the azure hedgehog, purring softly in his sleep. At one point, he even reached out his arm attempting to grab the person creating such incredible comfort. It was so odd even though he was completely asleep, his body could sense when the sapphire hedgehog was near.

"Ah, so you do like it, you little deceiver. Can't fool me. I can always see through that phony act." Sonic whispered quietly as to not disturb the wonderful slumber of his _rival_.

The azure hedgehog gently nuzzled his face against the others while continuing to stroke his quills.

"It's amazing someone supposedly so _dark_ and _evil_ can sleep so gracefully. I wonder how you can train your body to be that perfect. I guess if you're as obsessive compulsive as Shadow, you can train yourself to do almost anything. It's no wonder he's one of the most talented musicians on Mobius." He once again spoke softly trying not to wake him as affection poured into every word.

But this time the charcoal hedgehog replied with a flicker of his ear and Sonic realized he had talked just a bit too loud. He prepared himself for the beating of a life time by burying his body deep under the covers in fear.

Shadow's ruby eyes slowly opened with the irises being back to a normal size. He blinked a few times before sitting up and investigating the situation.

 _(Okay... What the hell happened last night, I feel like_ _ **absolute**_ _crap. Did I go out drinking again?)_ He contemplated as he looked around the room and finally to his left, shocked to see a blue fur ball hiding underneath the blankets.

"Sonic, may I ask what the hell you're doing. Actually, no. Let me rephrase that. **WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING IN MY BED?!** " He shouted at the azure hedgehog in utter shock and disgust before quickly pulling the sheets off and throwing them to the ground leaving Sonic completely vulnerable to any attacks.

"You don't remember anything?" Sonic replied softly and carefully as he scooted away from the angry eyes of the charmingly hazardous hedgehog.

" **OBVIOUSLY NOT!** We didn't  do anything did we?!" The ebony hedgehog asked with slight embarrassment hoping the kid's virginity was still intact.

"No no. You fell asleep and I took you to bed. Then I realized I was tired and because you looked so _soft_ and _appealing_ I decided to slip into your bed while you were snoozing." Sonic responded with his hand resting behind his head as he shyly nodded trying to make it look like he wasn't a creepy pervert.

"Let me get this straight... You snuck into my house and decided to spend the night in my bed **without** permission? That's **MANY** levels of messed up, I hope you're aware." Shadow's anger died a little as he realized the entire scenario was kind of funny.

He flashed his crimson eyes at the azure hedgehog indicating that he wasn't _REALLY_ judging his intentions, merely making it aware that he wanted more information.

 _(There's what I love about him so much. No matter what I do, he always seems to understand and not make any assumptions. It's a characteristic that most people lack and even if he hates the thing I did he will always keep an open mind.)_ Sonic thought as this quick sign of respect made him feel a little bubbly inside.

"You really don't remember _ANYTHING_?" He asked teasingly as his green eyes turned a bit seductive.

"Nope, can't recall. It must have been so traumatizing that my mind forced me to forget for my own sanity. You better not have tried anything _funny_." Shadow went back to being 'offended' as he realized the azure hedgehog had the devil in his eyes.

"So, not even this?" Sonic quickly crawled on top of him grabbing both of his hands and wrapping them tightly around himself before swiftly pushing his face against Shadow's until once again their lips met.

The ebony hedgehog felt his tense body relax as the memory of the moment flooded his brain. He pushed against Sonic's chest implying that he wanted him to stop, but the azure hedgehog pretended not to notice as he remained locked in his position. Slowly his tongue gently slithered over Shadow's lips making sure he wasn't being _too_ forceful. This caused the charcoal hedgehog's body to stiffen in response. It felt so incredibly natural as he started to almost drown in the enticing feeling. For only a second the cobalt hedgehog decided to break the kiss and state a very simple fact. Hoping it would be enough to persuade the ebony hedgehog to give in.

"There's no point in fighting the temptation, Shad. It's only going to make you feel worse. Trust me, I've been holding this in for quite a while now." He said while giggling as he saw the fragile eyes of his rival glowing with desire and passiveness.

The cobalt hedgehog quickly pushed him against the bed causing Shadow to feebly turn his head in embarrassment. He then steathily pressed his body against the charcoal hedgehog making sure he was completely pinned down before giving his ear a little peck and gently kissing the rest of his face. He gave the ebony hedgehog a soft affectionate lick on his cheek before sneakily sliding his tongue down his neck. Shadow silently squirmed as his body was fueled with more temptation than he had ever experienced in his entire life. However, no matter how good it felt he tried not to show any sign of pleasure. Unfortunately, as he assumed he had regained complete control, a soft moan escaped his lips when the cobalt hedgehog's mouth met the end of his shoulder.

"See you do like it. Stop denying it and let me into that beautiful mind of yours." Sonic nibbled a little on the top of his arm as he slid his hand up the ebony hedgehog's soft stomach attempting to comfort him enough so he would give into the craving.

 _(Damnit! Someone help?!_ _ **Anyone!**_ _I can't let him use me like this.)_ Shadow thought desperately as every part of his body was telling him to stop fighting.

All the sudden the door to the bedroom swung open and in its wake stood a dark figure with glowing pinkish-purple eyes.

A male brunet hedgehog almost identical to Shadow minus the white chest fur wearing a black V-neck t-shirt with little-distressed jean shorts and black leggings stood frustratingly expecting an explanation. The inhibitor rings around his wrists sparkled against the blinding sun as he sighed in minor hindrance. His quills were much shorter than either of the two and insanely enough, his body was even thinner than the ebony hedgehog's. He took a few steps forward with his little cowboy boots clopping and his hands on his hips expressing his sassiness.

" _Oh my_ , Shadie you got yourself another victim? You little pedo he looks like he's fifteen!" The voice echoed through the room sarcastically as Shadow reached out desperately trying to escape the situation.

"Can't you see we're _busy_? Don't you have a fashion show to star in _pretty boy_ and I'm not fifteen. I'm twenty four, thank you very much." Sonic responded as he squeezed the charcoal hedgehog as tight as he possibly could implying that Shadow was **HIS** only.

" _Ha, ha_. Aren't you the king of witty responses! At least I have a decent sense of **style.** Unlike you, who doesn't even wear clothes. _Unless they were removed last night_." The chocolate colored hedgehog chuckled as he quickly put on his sunglasses and leaned against the wall trying to show that he wasn't affected by this very peculiar situation.

"What in the world are you doing here, Rob? You said you wouldn't be back for a few weeks according to the text I got. Plus, I don't remember giving you a key..." Shadow questioned as he tried to shove the azure hedgehog away. However, As soon as he did, Sonic presented the look of a murdering psychopath and the ebony hedgehog quickly ceased the action in fear of his own life.

Rob's face and body were almost as beautiful as Shadow's but there was something a little _phony_ about him. He looked very artificial and with how he dressed, Sonic assumed he was the flamboyant trophy husband type.

"I'm here to check and see how my Shadie is doin'. You haven't called me in weeks and I was worried I did something to upset you and how I got in? I simply walked in. The door was wide open, to begin with. You should be a little more careful next time, hon. You might get scorpions in here like last time and I remember how _pitifully_ terrified you are of bugs." He responded with a feisty tone and a hint of admiration.

 _(Hon?! Who in the_ _ **world**_ _does this guy think he is?)_ Sonic pondered as his mind was fueled with rage and confusion.

"Who the hell are you anyway?! Are you related to Shadow?" The azure hedgehog demanded with his face flushing with anger and his heart hoping that they were siblings.

"Related? _You're kidding right?_ He was created, thus doesn't have any blood family. Has he really not told you the story? Anyway, allow me to properly introduce myself." He quickly took off his shades and put them in his shorts pocket as he glared at the blue hedgehog in revulsion.

"The name's Roberto and you happen to be groping my boyfriend, **brat**. If ya know what's good for you, release him this instant and then we can have a nice _chat_ about the situation." He growled stridently as he grabbed the cobalt hedgehog's arm and threw him off the bed causing him to bang against the wall.


	15. Chapter 15

Shadow stood in his kitchen facing the stove as he placed a kettle on open flames. He dare not look at the hedgehogs behind him who exchanged dirty glares for what seemed like eons.

 _(Dammit, of course Rob would barge in and make a giant scene. He's such a drama queen.)_ Shadow thought frustratedly as he glanced back at the two to make sure they hadn't destroyed each other yet.

Their reactions were strange, both established sweet looks at him before continuing to scowl at each other. Not speaking a single word. He knew he had to say something for Sonic was expecting him to stand up in revolt, while Rob was expecting an apology. Finally, Shadow took a deep breath and began to speak in an attempt to find some kind of common ground.

"Sonic, this is Rob. He isn't really my boyfriend. More like a friend with benefits and Rob this is Sonic. He's my riv-." The charcoal hedgehog stopped for a second as he realized that wasn't really what they were anymore.

"He's a friend..." He finished as the sapphire hedgehog looked up at him in surprise with the cheerful eyes of a child who just devoured ice cream for the first time.

 _(It's really not that big of a deal faker...)_ He thought as Rob glanced over at the happy kid with a charmingly mocking grin.

The ebony hedgehog poured the scalding water into three cups and dropped tea bags in all of them before placing them next to each person at the dining room table.

"Hay shadie, do you remember the way I like my tea?" Rob asked with a mischievous grin. Ready to compete for the charcoal hedgehog's affection.

"Um, yes... You like it with two spoonful's of sugar and nothing else." Shadow responded as he placed the sweetener on the table with confidence.

" **Ding ding** , correct! You are really incredible to remember something so trivial for little old me." He replied, smirking at the blue hedgehog preparing for him to fight back.

The azure hedgehog answered only with an insincere smile as he glanced at Shadow and nodded, symbolizing that it was his turn.

"Don't worry Sonic, I remember yours too. You actually like yours with milk, correct? Half milk, half water, one spoonful of sugar and a slice of lemon." Shadow stared at them trying to proclaim that he cared for them both completely equally.

Instead, Sonic took this as a triumph, for the ebony hedgehog remembered more about him then the brunet and Rob merely grunted in response to the azure's _'victory'_ as he took a sip of his tea.

Shadow soon realized that he found this rivalry somewhat appealing. Two people fighting over him was very rare. Heck, he was lucky to have Rob at all and now Sonic the Hedgehog was willing to compete for his love. He smiled as he got a very impish idea and as he sat next to them decided he was going to play a little game. Who could swoon him better? The catch was, **neither one could win**.

"So, where you been Rob? I haven't heard from you in weeks. I felt incredibly neglected..." Shadow sighed as he put his hand to his cheek and cutely closed his eyes.

"I'm sorry boo... You know how busy I am. I texted and emailed letting you know I was on a trip. But don't worry, I'm back now and here to spend as much time with you as possible." He wrapped his arm around Shadow's shoulder completely falling for the ebony's act.

"Aww... you don't have to... I understand that you're a very busy successful man. Don't push yourself too hard for me, _**okaaaay**_?" Shadow responded as he gave Rob a smile of fondness that completely infuriated the other hedgehog who was grasping his tea tightly. He slammed the cup down before rushing over to the two 'love birds.'

"Ya... And I made sure Shadow wasn't lonely while you were away. Maybe you should spend more time on vacation instead of giving him the love and respect he deserves." Sonic interrupted as he grabbed the charcoal hedgehog's arm trying to pull him away from Rob.

" _ **Aaaawwww**_... You're sweet yourself Sonic. Thank you for helping me in my time of need." Shadow poked the azure's cheek making his eyes light up with passion almost immediately.

"He saved me from the dastardly deeds of a two tailed fox. He's such a wonderful hero. It's amazing that he even has time to protect me when he could be protecting so many others." He exclaimed, fueling the fire between the two with complete delight. He was having so much fun playing with their hearts even though his conscious was telling him it wasn't moral. Then again, when would he ever get another chance like this?

"At least I have a well paying **occupation**... I bet you don't even have a job." Rob pulled Shadow a little closer to him while spouting at the cobalt hedgehog.

"Oh ya, I bet you're like a stripper or something." Sonic replied as he stomped his foot childishly trying to show authority.

"Of course not. I'm a musical artist. I probably have thousands of adoring fans but the only one who caught my eye was this cutie over here." The brown hedgehog winked at Shadow making him smile passively in response.

"Well, bringing criminals to justice is MY job. Even though I'm technically not given a wage, the government gives me almost anything I want. So I can provide Shadow with whatever he needs to be happy." Sonic confirmed as he snuggled the ebony hedgehog close causing Shadow to cutely giggle.

"OOO... You let the government take care of you? I can't even imagine someone like you being able to support Shadow. You really are nothing but a peasant." Rob responded more aggressively than before as he yanked the charcoal hedgehog away from the egotistical brat.

"At least I don't cross dress for attention!" The sapphire hedgehog slammed his hand on the table startling both the black and brown hedgehog before Shadow covered his mouth with his hand realizing this was the most entertaining thing he's ever witnessed.

The ebony hedgehog couldn't keep up the act any further as he burst into laughter. There was a loud thud as he hit the floor after falling off his chair, snickering even louder than before.

"You guys... actually... thought... I was... serious. Come on... Who... do you...think... you're talking... too...?" He spoke in between uncontrollable laughs as the azure and brunet hedgehog looked at him in both shock and embarrassment.

 **"** **How could you..."** They spoke in unison with glares of complete evil.

Quickly, Rob whispered into the azure hedgehog's ear and Sonic gave a quick nod before cracking his knuckles.

"You really want something to laugh about, Shadie?" Rob asked wickedly before glancing at Sonic.

"We'll give ya something to laugh about!" The cobalt hedgehog added as they both started to saunter over to the still laughing hedgehog.

 _(This can't be good...)_ He thought before the chocolate colored hedgehog grabbed his arm and pinned him against the floor.


	16. Chapter 16

Shadow struggled against the incredible grip of the brunet hedgehog as he glared at Sonic who was holding down his shoulders.

"You want to go first?" Rob asked the azure hedgehog willing to let him have first dibs. 

"Nah, after you. You have _much_ more experience, after all." Sonic responded slightly mockingly as he teasingly nibbled the top of the ebony hedgehog's ear.

"Um... Guys, this isn't funny! I'm actually **really** scared..." He whispered frighteningly as this was one of the first times the charcoal hedgehog ever felt completely vulnerable and he really didn't want to experience anything involved with that horrible feeling.

Rob sturdily buried his hands into Shadows torso and quickly shuffled his fingers all around making the ebony hedgehog squirm for a few seconds before bursting into devastating laughter.

"I know your weaknesses. One is seduction and the other is tickling! So why not combine them as punishment." The brunet hedgehog smirked maliciously as he continued to run his fingers over Shadow's sensitive stomach.

 **"NO! PLEASE ANYTHING BUT THAT! SONIC PLEASE HELP!"** He looked desperately at the azure hedgehog frantically trying to keep himself from panicking.

"Sorry Shad, you need to learn to NOT to mess with me like that." He responded while looking deeply into the ebony hedgehog's eyes trying to emphasize that he wasn't going to hurt him, merely be stern. He sneakily slid his finger behind the black hedgehog's soft ears and started rubbing rapidly.

Shadow once against burst into laughter but this time it sounded much more desperate.

"Please! **No!** I'll be better! I'll be a good Shadow, you'll see!" He begged as he tried to push both the hedgehogs away in sheer terror.

"Attempting to escape is just going to make this take _longer_." Sonic retorted as he skimmed both his hands down the sides of Shadow's body struggling to keep him from fleeing.

"Don't get too _friendly_ now or I'll have to _putcha_ in time out, blue peasant." Rob enunciated as Shadow's begging had finally ceased and was replaced with very quiet pitiful moans.

"I can say the same for you... Don't torture him too hard or we'll have a problem." The cobalt hedgehog countered while his mouth slid up and down the poor charcoal hedgehog's neck.

"Guys, _please_... I really don't like this at all..." Shadow asked feebly as he heard Rob chuckle while he pressed his lips on the ebony hedgehog's stomach, letting his tongue lap him gently.

The teasing was practically unbearable. Every inch of his body was erupting with yes yes yes, but his heart was very much the opposite. As both hedgehogs continued to touch him, he could feel the protective shell incasing his heart shatter into pieces. Finally, he couldn't take the agony any longer as cascades of tears trickled down his face while pitiful whimpering filled the dining room.

" _Please... Stop... No more..._ " He cried out frantically. Desperately wishing he could hide from the world for the rest of eternity for allowing himself to look so pathetic.

"Alright, I think that's enough. Did you learn your lesson, Shadie?" Rob asked seriously as he folded his arms in response to the immense crying.

The ebony hedgehog answered with a slow sad nod as his weeping become more regretful. He choked on his immense sobs as he felt terrible for hurting two people he really cared about.

Sonic looked at his frantic _rival_ with eyes of compassion and decided he couldn't watch him cry any further. He hastily wrapped his arms tight around the charcoal hedgehog quickly relieving the sense of shame emanating from his tear filled eyes.

"Don't comfort him when he's been bad, _peasant_." The brunet hedgehog frowned as he shook his head in revolt.

"Can't you see the **terror** in his eyes? I think he gets the point! I know Shadow, he doesn't cry unless he's really been absolutely petrified." Sonic started to rub Shadow's back comfortingly and was surprised to hear soft loving purrs coming from his body identical to the ones that morning.

"If you show him love he will try it again! It's like a dog. After you yell at it for peeing on your rug, you don't go right back to feeding them treats, right?!" The chocolate colored hedgehog pointed at Sonic, lending a dirty glare before giving him a little shove.

"How **DARE** you compare Shadow to a dog? He's so much smarter than that. What gives you the right to take care of him when you treat him so badly?" Sonic responded as he growled holding Shadow close in an attempt to protect him.

"If you give him everything he desires, he will become spoiled! Unlike you, I rather not have my boyfriend be a brat." He replied as he put his hand over his eyes indicating his frustration.

" **HE'S SUFFERED ALL HIS LIFE SO HE DESERVES RESPECT AND I'M NOT A BRAT!** " Sonic bellowed as a few tears filled his own eyes while pulling him away from Rob and incasing his arms around Shadow in such a way that made the ebony hedgehog's heart flutter with delight.

Sonic felt so incredibly furious. The fact that Shadow's _boyfriend_ could say something so mean and degrading without looking regretful. He knew the charcoal hedgehog was one of the most considerate people in town and the thought that Rob had the guts to relate his actions to a puppy was downright abusive.

The brunet hedgehog sighed in response as he realized the kid was serious. He stood and patted the ebony hedgehog's head releasing a frustrated exhale.

"Guess I've been replaced..." The pats started turning into loving strokes as he turned away from both hedgehogs trying to make it look like he wasn't affected even though he was almost on the brink of tears.

"You have done **so** much for me. Don't think I don't respect and appreciate the support. You always try to do what's best for me even if it makes you look bad. I am very lucky to have someone like you as a friend." Shadow responded faithfully as the azure hedgehog looked at him in shock.

 _(What do you see in this guy?! He's abusive, belittling and immoral. I wouldn't catch myself half dead with someone so hideously unlikable.)_ Sonic thought as he growled at him in an attempt to make him depart the house.

"But... He's better for you. You've always told me that someday you wanted to be with someone who will always cuddle and love you. I guess, I've just been through too much shit to be that warm, innocent, immature kid you've always desired and even if I tried, it wouldn't be natural. Good luck, I really should be taking my leave." He gave the charcoal hedgehog a soft smile showing that he only wanted what was best for him.

"Rob... **Wait!** I never said anything like that..." Shadow responded as he reached out attempting to express that he still cared very much for him.

The brunet hedgehog quickly rushed out the front door as the ebony hedgehog sat in regret letting tears continually fall down his face.

 _(Why must everything be so complicated? I liked it better when I was alone...)_

Lying to himself wasn't helping as he suddenly sensed the feeling he gets only when the cobalt hedgehog is near. It helped him think more clearly as he started to slowly come up with a plan to make both of them happy. Sonic quickly kissed his forehead before letting a few tears fall down his own face.

"Are you okay? I didn't hurt you, right? Was it too much? I was just trying to keep you from playing with my heart like that. Ya know, stand my ground without harming you in the process. I'm sorry. There could have been a better way to do this and now I feel like I traumatized you. I completely understand if you think I'm some kind of crazy sociopath. You're certainly not the only one but at least recognize I didn't want to hurt you and and..." He held Shadow close rambling on and on even though the ebony hedgehog wasn't really listening.

He was deep in thought about why this made him feel so happy. He should be furious that Sonic practically molested him, right? However the fact that the cobalt hedgehog immediately started to protect him after the event showed he really cared. Not just for the ebony hedgehog but for himself as well. It was odd, the thought that the azure hedgehog wanted to guide him made him feel so safe. Maybe... It was because Shadow really wanted to be directed. For someone to take his hand and help him make difficult scary decisions. Guess The sapphire hedgehog was right, he really doesn't have any faith in himself and even though he knew Sonic was immature, he felt like his heart was pure. That was enough for him to feel comfortable every time they were close. He quickly became afraid of what his own heart was telling him. That Sonic didn't just love him, that he loved him unconditionally. If he truly accepted this then Shadow would be his. Somehow, this made him more afraid than ever before.

 _(Always protecting me... Always trying to do the right thing... Always seeing straight into my heart and working hard to make it happy even though I make things difficult... Always looking after me... Always giving me that extra push to try and gain confidence... Always thinking of me first... Always wanting to be close to me and love me even if I reject him... Always...)_ Shadow continued listing all the things the azure hedgehog did for him.

There were probably hundreds of good characteristics he could point out and slowly he could feel the wounds of the past starting to heal just by the mere love of this egotistical hedgehog. Strangely enough, a smile creeped onto his face as the tears started to recede when he realized he was struck by cupid's arrow.

 ** _(Stupid wonderful kid... Making me want nothing less than to be close forever.)_**


	17. Chapter 17

Two sincerely serene hedgehogs sat together, holding each other close enough to feel the others heartbeat. Shadow was laying his head on the other hedgehog's soft peach chest with his body resting in his lap and Sonic was also sitting, merely leaning against the dining room wall relaxing his head on top of the other's. No words were spoken for what seemed like an eternity. They were not needed for the only thing necessary was the others embrace. Occasionally, the azure hedgehog would rub his cheek against Shadow's and he would respond by shyly nuzzling him back. Everything seemed absolutely perfect and the charcoal hedgehog blushed as his mind felt secure enough to maybe try and confess. Was it too soon, though? He felt a bit nervous as the phrase looped in his head. Those words meant so much and were so powerful. If he said them, he knew they would evidently be together as a couple. It frightened him greatly. The thought of being official and with how much the town hated him, it seemed like a very bad idea. Not to mention Rob would be absolutely infuriated and probably never speak to him again. He desperately wished there was another way he could express it without actually having to say it; but decided there was no other way. He took a deep breath and turned his body to face the other hedgehog.

"Um... _Sonic_. Can I ask you something...? Shadow asked shyly, trying to start a conversation even though he was perfectly content with just the sound of breathing.

"Sure. Is something wrong? Are you uncomfortable?" Sonic enquired wanting to make sure he wasn't pushing Shadow too hard, but was happy to hear that sweet reluctant voice he loved so much.

"No, I'm fine, but _um..._ Remember when you said you fell for me? What exactly did you mean?" He glanced bashfully at the azure hedgehog feeling calm enough to put down his shields a little.

"What do you think I meant, Shadow? You're a _smart boy_ , I think you would be able to figure it out." Sonic responded quickly by kissing the ebony hedgehog's cheek making him blush in embarrassment.

"Don't patronize me, I'm very bad at reading between the lines okay?!" Shadow complained playfully before groaning in frustration.

The cobalt hedgehog quickly placed his hand under his chin and sweetly pulled him into a deep kiss letting his tongue slide over his lips before wondering into Shadow's mouth and this time the ebony hedgehog didn't fight back. As a matter of fact, he kind of played along, letting his own tongue gently slide over Sonic's a few times, enjoying every bolt of pleasure running down his back as he continued. The sapphire hedgehog responded to the teasing with a gentle moan as he abruptly pinned the timid ebony hedgehog against the ground before placing his hand on his cheek.

" **I love you, Shadow.** More than I could ever imagine. It honestly kind of surprised me. I used to have such a hard time maintaining friendships and relationships and I was worried that I would never find that euphoric love that haunts most teen novels, _but here I am_. Practically unable to control myself from snuggling you until you're filled with so much love you explode." He chuckled as even he thought that was a bit extreme.

"Don't say such stupid overly romantic exaggerations you can't prove." Shadow responded cleverly trying to distract himself from the fact that his heart loved every simpering sweet comment.

"By the way, that comic book I found under your bed is _**amazing**_. Do you mind if I borrow it?" The cobalt hedgehog requested, gently patting Shadow's shoulder and smirking teasingly.

"What Comic- Oh... **YOU READ THAT?!** First of all, it's called a MANGA and second of all, **HELL NO, ITS ONE OF MY MOST PRIZED POSSESSION AND IF YOU EVER TOUCH IT AGAIN I WILL DESTROY YOU!** " Shadow erupted as he stood in revolt and grabbed the cobalt hedgehog's shoulders, shaking them violently.

"Aww... No more _lovey dovey_ , Shadow? I miss him already." Sonic stated mockingly as his ears went down in discontent.

"And you're also going to be missing your fluffy tail if you don't shut your trap!" Shadow quickly grabbed the azure hedgehog's tail, squeezing it tight expecting him to wince in pain. However, Sonic reacted a little differently than expected. A very sensual smile creeped onto his face as he bit his lip.

"You always know exactly how to turn me on without even trying. It really pisses me off... _Your sucha tease, Shads_." The cobalt hedgehog quickly pulled him down and lifted his own head above the ebony hedgehog so he could bite down hard on the tip of his ear. This causing Shadow to cry out in pain as his body instantly shivered as the discomfort felt somewhat pleasing.

" **Ouch!** That hurt you little demonic shithead! Off me, this instant!" Shadow tried pushing him away but it only caused Sonic to tighten his grip.

"Language, _good sir_ and fine, I'll make a deal. You tell me how you  feel and I will stop touching you... For a few hours or so. I'll also throw in something extra for free! I won't tell anyone about that embarrassing Boy X Boy comic book you so lovingly keep stashed away." Sonic winked cutely as he softly licked the ebony hedgehog's bite mark.

" **I SAID IT'S CALLED A MANGA** and I don't care, go ahead and _embarrass_ me in front of all your friends. It's not like it's my problem to deal with." Shadow blushed slightly at the azure hedgehog's sudden change of mood.

 _(One minute he's on the brink of sexually harassing me and on the other he's lovingly licking my wound. The one HE caused. Multiple Personality Disorder much?)_ He thought as his heart started to race with temptation.

"I'm including Rouge, by the way." Sonic stated jokingly as he wrapped his hands around the ebony hedgehog's tiny waist making him jump a little in surprise.

" **You wouldn't dare**... And didn't I say hands **OFF!** " Shadow yelled at the azure hedgehog causing him to sigh tenderly in response.

" _I would_. Now let it out before I lose control of my body and harass you again." He threatened while gently pushing his face against his lover's soft white chest fur and continuing to hold Shadow in place by his waist.

"You touch me with your grubby little hands one more time and you will be forced to eat through a tube when I'm done with you." The ebony hedgehog declared, quickly gripping Sonic's hands and throwing them to the side before speedily crawling a few feet away in an attempt to make a point that he didn't want his closeness even though he knew that was a load a crap.

"Your empty threats are downright adorable, Shadow. I can't help but feel excited every time you threaten to kill me." Sonic gently put his hand over his mouth while fluttering his eyelashes attempting to look as innocent as possible.

"Me wanting to harm you turns you on?" The ebony hedgehog glared in slight confusion.

" _No... Maybe..._ " The azure hedgehog responded in slight embarrassment as he averted his eyes from the other's adorable and confused face.

"You really are strange, aren't you?" Shadow replied somewhat sweetly letting Sonic know, once again, he wasn't judging.

 _(He's an interesting one. That's for sure. But I wonder who is really behind those emerald eyes... Is he really an innocent kid without a care in the world or something more... degrading?)_ Shadow wondered as his mind raced with all different concepts.

" **You have no idea.** Now spit it out already. I'm _Waaaaaaiting_." Sonic articulated sarcastically as he held out his hand urging Shadow to come close again.

"Whisper it in my ear so I know exactly what you say when you finally decide to admit." He waited patiently for Shadow and after a few seconds his sweetheart's gloved hand was gently placed in his.

"Fine... But only if you don't laugh at me..." The ebony hedgehog demanded awkwardly as he bit his lip in anxiety.

"I'm not that cruel, am I? Your thoughts mean a lot to me, even if I may not act like it." He quickly yanked Shadow close once again while gliding his hand up his back before gently placing it behind his head.

"Now... Go ahead. I won't move until I hear it." Sonic pushed his ear close to the ebony hedgehog's lips making Shadow feel especially nervous.

 ** _(Here goes nothing... I guess...)_**


	18. Chapter 18

Shadow gently closed his eyes trying to imagine exactly how he was going to say it. It had to be honest but if he made it short he knew it would be less traumatic. After a few seconds of thinking through the words in his head, he took a deep breath and committed to speaking without fear.

"Sonic, I-" He started as he felt his body flush with eagerness. However, before he could continue his confession, a huge surge of crashes and bangs erupted from outside the house.

The charcoal hedgehog quickly responded by trying to stand up but the azure hedgehog continued to firmly hold him down by his waist.

"Sonic this **isn't** a good time. Can't you hear the explosions? It must be Dr. Eggman destroying the village! Hurry before it's too late." He felt incredibly relieved as he could practically hug the stupid doctor for interrupting him.

But the cobalt hedgehog remained completely immobile as he irritatingly glared out the dining room window.

"Ugh... _C'mon_ Egghead this is really shitty timing! Fine... I'll go and stop him from annihilating the town but I'm expecting a damsel's _sweet embrace_ when I get back." He quickly slid his palm over the ebony hedgehog's red cheek, smiling sweetly as he did so.

"I'm sure Amy would LOVE to give you a hug after the battle." Shadow responded before chuckling shyly as he knew this would be one of the rudest things he could possibly respond with.

"Nah, Amy isn't good enough for me. I deserve someone way more beautiful, loving and intelligent." He winked at the black hedgehog expecting to completely melt his heart but instead Shadow found it rather embarrassing.

"Beautiful... And intelligent? Are you sure **SHE'S** even available, faker?" He retorted slowly standing up to help lift the azure hedgehog off the floor.

"Don't worry, _'she'_ will be mine rather _'her'_ many suitors like it or not." Sonic playfully twirled one of Shadow's quills as he flashed flirtatious eyes.

"Go defeat the bad guy before I throw you out of my house. I'll follow right behind you to make sure you don't get your ass destroyed. Since the Dr. was gone for so long, he might have something especially challenging ready for you." Shadow gently pushed the cobalt hedgehog's hand away before pointing to the door as he chuckled slightly at this playful battle they were having.

Even when it came to sweet banters they combated. Of course Shadow was very much willing to let Sonic win but he wasn't going to make it easy.

"You're so _cold_ sometimes Shad. It amazes me that you can be so loving and yet so unsympathetic all at the same time." Sonic replied as he started to take a few steps out of the dining room.

"It's called **ACTING**. You should really try it sometime." Shadow smacked the azure hedgehogs back forcefully, urging him to move faster.

"Which one is the acting, love or indifference?" Sonic started to pick up the pace as he rushed out of the house with the charcoal hedgehog skating right behind him.

"I think I'll let you decide that." He replied as he passed in front the cobalt hedgehog for a bit before realizing he just hinted at Sonic's favorite activity.

"OOO... You wanna have a race?! Well, we all know who'll win. **LAST ONE THERE IS A ROTTEN EGGHEAD!** " Sonic dashed threw the forest at incredible speeds, quickly passing the ebony hedgehog who wasn't even really trying.

 _(You really are a stupid kid, aren't you? At least he's far enough away now. I can get some peace and quiet for a few minutes.)_ He thought as he silently jogged half a mile behind the egotistical kid even though his heart felt somewhat lonely so far away from his hero.

Sonic arrived in the town in mere minutes and by the way people were cowering in fear, it most certainly was Dr. Robotnik.

"RUN, FLEE! All Mobians will bow before their new leader!" Dr. Eggman stated as he flew around in his little Egg Mobile destroying buildings and trees with his laser cannon.

"Is this all doctor? Are you sure there isn't some _elaborate_ , _incredibly expensive_ , and _time consuming_ robot that I need to destroy in one shot?" Sonic asked mockingly as he rubbed his hands together ready to start the fight.

"I'm sorry, how rude of me! My latest invention is still in production but I missed the terrified screams of the damned so much that I just had to visit a little early. **Prepare to be destroyed, rat!** " Quickly the scientist started firing the lasers at the cobalt hedgehog who merely took a few steps to either side, easily avoiding the attack.

"That's _REALLY_ all you got?! C'mon gimmie a challenge already." Sonic teasingly stuck his tongue at the doctor trying to get his blood boiling, but he seemed a tad preoccupied with looking somewhere else.

The azure hedgehog decided to take advantage of the moment and spin dash the scientist's mobile, completely destroying the pitiful laser in the process.

"The **hell** is wrong with you Eggie? Fight me already! When I said in one shot, I didn't mean let me completely obliterate you without trying." The cobalt hedgehog demanded as he stood on the front part of the mobile inches from the Doctor's face.

"What are you talking about?! I don't always have to spend my life's fortune in an attempt to win a battle against you! You really are spoiled aren't you? I think I deserve a little more credit since I am the **REASON** you're even alive!" Eggman pushed him off the flying automobile while Sonic was trying to find a response as his mind went completely blank.

 _(Why the hell is he bringing that up NOW of all times?)_

"Guess this conversation is going to have to wait. Until then, **CURSE YOU SONIC! I WILL BEAT YOU NEXT TIME!** " Dr. Robotnik yelled as he flew far away from the town towards his lair.

Shadow was casually standing in between the library and supermarket building, carefully watching Sonic like a hawk.

 _(There has to be a catch right? This is way too easy, even the doctor has more intentions then just wanting to see people cower in fear.)_ He thought as he remained focused on watching the sapphire hedgehog in front of him.

 _(Why am I so worried, he'll be fine right? I mean anything Eggman throws at him he destroys in minutes. Which now that I think about it is kind of odd. Is Robotnik really stupid enough to keep using the same technique over and over again?)_

A presence suddenly appeared behind him but he didn't take much note of it until he felt a hand wrap around his waist and a rag thrust into his face. His body became incredibly weak as he could feel himself drifting off, unable to defend himself from the attack.

"Night night Shadie. Don't worry, everything will be fine. I promise." The voice comforted as the ebony hedgehog completely passed out in its arms.

* * *

Blackness once again filled the empty space of nothingness as two voices were heard feverishly arguing.

"Father... He's really not that bad! He just needs to be trained." A young female voice spoke emotionally as she choked on what sounded like sobs.

"He's an **abomination** and I will not have him in contact with you." An older male voice responded as he enunciated his words emphasizing that he would have none of her nonsense.

"But father, **I love him!** Don't you understand?!" She replied sweetly as her insecure voice was cut off by the elder man's counter.

"How can you _love_ a killing machine?" The senior asked plainly as the two words completely contradicted each other.

"He isn't! He loves me... I know he does... He reminds me every time we see each other. He holds me and tells me all the wonderful things were going to do together once we escape this **hellish** prison." The young girl's shaky voice came off as very innocent as she sighed in complete frustration.

"Miran, that doesn't mean he's telling the truth. Cant you see that he's using you?" He spoke clearly attempting to talk some sense into the love-struck teenager.

" **How could you say something so cruel?!** He never tries to do anything besides love and take care of me." Her voice became somewhat defensive as she decided she had to stand up for herself.

"Grandfather, I do not mean to interrupt but sis was begging for you to be gentle with Miran." Another voice entered the scene. It was cold and monotone as if he had absolutely no opinion on the matter.

"If I am not stern with her she will continue to visit him and most likely be killed!" The older man responded angrily as a crashing sound blared through the blackness followed by a feminine scream.

"Don't worry. Sis and I will take care of her. You should go back to your experiments. I notice the lack of sleep emanating from your eyes. I beg you to not push yourself too hard." The younger voice replied as he remained uninterested in showing any sentiment.

"Son, do you ever show emotion anymore?" The older man questioned with a somewhat dejected tone.

"Pardon?" The young man asked nonchalantly.

"Nothing, forget I said anything. Fine take Miran back to her quarters. If I see you with him again I will not be afraid to use punishment." The elder ordered with a stern tone as a rush of footsteps came blaring through the darkness.

"You wouldn't **dare** harm sweet little innocent me in a million years. I'm your Princess for heaven's sake!" The teenage girl cried as she yelped frighteningly.

"I wouldn't push the limits if I were you. You are still my creation and i can do whatever i want with you." The old man responded as it sounded like someone was being dragged away.

"You cannot keep us apart, father! **I love him!** " She bawled with her voice sounding much more hopeless.

"We'll see about that, Miran." The senior responded sighing in complete frustration.

* * *

Miran (Mee-rawn): Roughly translates to peaceful in Croatian. (I really love the sound of this language so i decided to use it for some of the names of characters and other things which i cannot speak of yet.)


	19. Chapter 19

The ebony hedgehog could feel his back ache as he started to sit up completely surrounded by blackness. It was absolutely pitch dark and the only thing he could hear was water gently dripping from the ceiling as a cold metal bed zapped him with a sense of fear. He was too busy worrying about his location to really contemplate the weird dream he had and decided it was better to think about it when he was back to safety.

 _(Where the_ _ **hell**_ _am I?! Some kind of chamber?)_ He thought frightfully as he tried to stand up but noticed that his body remained locked in place by a chain wrapped to his leg holding him to the bed frame. Not to mention the medicine that knocked him out was still in effect, causing a general sense of exhaustion.

 _(What?! I can't move! What's going on?! Where's Sonic?!_ _I WANT SONIC._ _)_ He begged desperately in his head before taking a deep breath and trying to go to his happy place.

 _(Okay, calm down Shadow. You can figure this out, just think of cheerful thoughts.)_ His body slouched a little as the only thing he could think of was...

"Hello... Are you my new fwiend?" A young voice echoed through the chamber innocently as Shadow pushed his back against the wall in hesitation.

"Friend...? What is a child like **you** doing in a place like this?" He responded scanning the room frightfully looking for any kind of entity.

"What is a beautiful princess like **YOU** doing in a place like this?" The child replied playfully trying to communicate that he wasn't a threat.

"Princess? I'm no Princess and if you can't tell by my voice I'm a full grown man." Shadow stated frustratingly as he noticed that the voice sounded eerily familiar.

"I just know... I can sense it. The Chaos Energy… Your body lives off it. _It's so alluring_. You must be the lovely princess I have waited so long for." The adolescent voice stated with a very caring tone giving the ebony hedgehog an odd sense of comfort.

"Child, I think you are misunderstood. First of all men can't be Princess's... _I think_. Second of all what does Chaos energy have to do with anything? How do you even know I live off it? You **ARE** just a kid, right?" Shadow's face turned white for a second as he could hear shuffling at the other corner of the large prison room making him realize the voice wasn't just a figment of his imagination.

"I wish... I wish I could touch you... _I bet you're incredibly soft_." His voice beckoned lovingly almost hypnotizing Shadow with its sweet protective tone.

"Maybe he will let me. If I behave, that is." He added, following it with a sarcastic laugh that Shadow felt oddly accustom too.

"He? Who?" The ebony hedgehog asked as he yanked on the chain desperately wanting to get loose.

"The mustached man... He locks me here in eternal darkness where I am most comfortable. I feel less agitated when I cannot see those who intimidate me; but don't worry, I know you are not a threat." The voice answered as it could hear the rustling of chains.

"It sounds like you are trying to escape. I wonder if my princess wants to be near me just as much as I want to be near her." Once again the voice filled Shadow's ears causing a general sense of confusion. He wanted to at least be able to see the creature he was communicating with, but alas there was no light switch he could sense.

"I am a male though. How can I be a her?" He asked slightly fearfully as he realized the being was probably not safe. He had to be incredibly careful not to anger it even if it did sound like a sweet child.

"That maybe what your anatomy tells you; but what does your **heart** tell you?" The voice enunciated quietly, trying to comfort the scared hedgehog.

As the creature continued to talk, Shadow felt himself gradually grow more attracted to it. Not necessarily sexually or romantically more like instinctually. This child could see through him better than probably anyone and yet they didn't meet until just now.

"My heart tells me many things. It doesn't mean I should listen." Shadow responded wittily trying to sound like the creatures sweet nothings weren't affecting him.

"Your heart wants to be you but your soul wants to be someone else. This makes it rather difficult for us to make decisions in life. What is more important, to do what everyone else thinks is right or to do what **YOU** believe is right?" The child responded very clearly as he wanted Shadow to really think about this fact.

The kid was obviously very intelligent and somehow that thought made the ebony hedgehog nervous. He could just be buttering him up and preparing to attack when Shadow least expects it. Even though his body was telling him to openly accept the beings loving remarks, he decided to maintain his guard at all costs.

"The **hell** is that supposed to mean?" Shadow responded angrily as he banged his hand against the metal bed strangely startling the other creature causing it to remain quiet for a little before responding.

"It means exactly as I said. Your **HEART** , as in your deep conscious, longs to be accepted and loved for what it is. Your **SOUL** , the entity that interacts with others while growing and changing, longs to act and behave like other people. You were talking about what your soul wants. What does your heart want?" The being emphasized as he sounded slightly irritated with the ebony hedgehog's odd distrustful comments.

The charcoal hedgehog's ears fell flat across his head as he felt emotion build inside him. Is this what Sonic was trying to communicate to him? His heart does want to be with him, love him and run away never looking back; but his mind/soul wants everything to just stop. Which is the right thing to do?

"By the way, my name is Čelik. What's yours?" The voice changed the subject quickly to prevent Shadow from having a mental breakdown.

"Mine is Shadow... It's odd. I feel like we've met somewhere before although I can't put my finger on it." The ebony hedgehog responded deep in thought trying to remember exactly where he heard this child's voice.

"We have met Shadow. From the beginning of time to the end. We will always meet. It doesn't matter where or who we are. That is just how the universe works." Čelik confirmed in such a way that made the black hedgehog feel even more confused.

"What do you mean by that? How can two people continually meet forever and ever without fail?" Shadow questioned hesitantly almost not wanting an answer.

"Ever heard of destiny? Just how energy can never be destroyed. There will always be _Chaos_ for us to _control_ or _create_." The child spoke cleverly causing Shadow's pupils to dilate as he realized that he made a very interesting point.

( _How does Chaos Energy work anyway? Is Chaos like the energy that exists in everything? If so, is there an opposing force or is it all the same thing? Maybe it's more like yin and yang. There is one entity that continues chaos and one who counters it to make sure things don't get out of hand. That's what Chaos control is, right? The ability to manipulate the energy of the universe into feasible power. I was created specifically to control this energy. So was there someone made to do the exact opposite?)_

"In order for our world to be at peace there must be an equal balance. That's why I'm so happy I found you. We can finally convert this world to a perfect one. Where there is equal amount ofirrationality to rationality. We will rule this universe together. _Forever and ever_ until the end of time. Chaos will never get out of hand again!" Čelik's voice erupted in pure happiness as it sounded like he was about to burst into tears.

The ebony hedgehog felt a bit insulted by the comment. The child didn't seem to care about his thoughts on the matter at all. Even though he assumed the kid was just completely crazy, it still made him feel slightly rejected. Alas, that attraction continued to grow. His mind, heart and body all started to want one thing: Be as close to Čelik as possible.

 _(The hell is wrong with me? What is it with Sonic and this juvenile delinquent that makes my entire sense of morality and discipline turn completely upside down?)_

Surprisingly a strange light started to emanate from the corner of the cell. Bright glowing emerald eyes shrouded Shadow almost like an unfathomable hug. He looked very deeply at them as they were the only thing piercing the darkness. He felt as if those eyes were deadly to everyone else but him. It made him feel incredibly special as he reached out to them, hypnotized by their gorgeous luminosity.

"How are you two getting along?" Another voice resonated from right outside the cell as the ebony hedgehog turned his head in surprise.

"Dr. Robotnik! Why the **HELL** do you have a child in one of these cells?! You're evil, but I never thought you would torture a young kid. That's incredibly messed up and listen to him, he obviously has some severe psychological trauma!" The charcoal hedgehog shouted practically disgusted at Ivo's lack of humanity.

"He was like that when he awoke, Shadow. **He is my latest and proudest creation!** " The scientist exclaimed as if he created god himself and was relieved that his little experiment was a complete success.

"Creation?" Shadow asked in confusion as the Dr. had never created a sentient being with the ability to emote before.

"I did it Shadow! Just like my grandfather. I created an Ultimate Lifeform utilizing the general designs when they were constructing you combined with a certain someones DNA and he seems to know exactly his purpose." He confirmed as Čelik's eyes glared at Ivo with incredible anger and disgust.

"What purpose? To be locked in a cell without any hope of escape!?" Shadow noticed the child's rage and agreed that this was unbelievably abusive.

"No Shadow. I see you already care about him. That happened much quicker than expected. His purpose is to create a perfect world and I need your help." He confirmed as the ebony hedgehog reacted by growling while the doctor spoke _perfect world_.

"Help? What could you possibly need me for?" Shadow asked irritatingly as every part of his heart wanted to break the poor child out and escape.

"You're the other piece to the puzzle. I know it and Čelik knows it. How do you think this universe became so organized? It couldn't have been luck and right now the world is thrown out of whack because certain hedgehogs haven't been doing their duties." He confirmed as he started to smirk in triumph for his little plan was working perfectly.

"You are my gateway to a new and flawless world without crime, fear or pain. Where there is just enough control that everyone is in order but enough freedom that everyone can be satisfied." He continued as Shadow glared in complete confusion.

"All you have to do is awaken and I am willing to do anything. Including recreating your **eternal lover** who is under my complete control. Not to mention the fact that your jail cell is surrounded with Chaos energy. It would be almost a death sentence to try and use Chaos control while your inside, especially with the limited amount of energy you have without a Chaos emerald." Quickly, Eggman pushed a large button next to the jail doors allowing lights to illuminate the area.

Shadow was shocked to see a very familiar face. A little blue hedgehog sat silently at the other side of the jail cell with his hands covering his eyes as the blinding light penetrated his face. He was much shorter than Shadow and seemed to be just a bit older than a toddler. A very secure rope like object made out of what seemed to be pure chaos energy was strapped to his leg preventing any ability to escape or run. Behind him was an outline of a painting drawn in dark crimson red of a beautiful lady hedgehog with a long silky ball gown and petite wings. Her face drawn vividly as she had an overwhelming sense of control. It was odd, she was so beautiful and graceful yet had an aura of fear and obedience that made her almost look like a porcelain doll.

As the child's pupils contracted allowing him to see in front of him. He reached out wanting nothing more than to be close to the ebony hedgehog.

"Shadow... You look just like her. I knew it was you. _I'm so happy..._ " Čelik's face filled with tears as he continued to extend desperately desiring to touch Shadow.

"Just to clarify who you are speaking to right now, is the new and **ABSOLUTELY** improved Metal Sonic. Prepare to get nice and cozy because you will be staying here for an awfully long time or at least until your true form reveals itself."

* * *

Čelik(Che-leek): Roughly translates to Steel in Croatian.


	20. Chapter 20

A rapid gust of air appeared behind a fast moving azure hedgehog as he desperately looked for his _rival_.

" **Shadow, where are you!** You said you'd be around here." He belted forcefully. Letting his voice carry throughout the little town as everyone started to continue their normal everyday lives after Dr Eggman's relatively short attack.

 _(Maybe he already went home...)_ He thought, hoping he was just overreacting to the situation.

He quickly dashed past the town and into the forest as the eerie atmosphere caused a chill to run up his spine.

 _(_ _Please... Be here..._ _I have a very bad feeling.)_ He yearned as he walked through the house urgently searching for any sign of life.

 _(_ _ **He's not here...**_ _)_ He stood in complete silence as fear and worry started to consume his thoughts.

 _(That's why Egghead was going easy on me...)_ His body became stiff and infuriated as he marched out of the house in blind panic.

"If it's a fight you want! It's a fight you'll get and this time I won't show **ANY** mercy for your mortal soul. No one underestimates Sonic the Hedgehog." He confirmed maddeningly before looking around in desperation.

 _(Don't worry Shads, I'm on my way.)_ He thought as he began to formulate a plan.

First, he would need to find Egghead's base and there was only one way to do that. He knew the doctor had at least one chaos emerald powering the lab. So, he raced through the woodland and back into town at blazing speeds before arriving at the kistune's lab.

"Tails! We have an emergency! I need a Chaos Emerald Locator **NOW**!" He exclaimed with force and aggression as he dashed into the relatively small workshop.

Tails practically jumped out of his seat as he cowered in instinctual fear when he recognized Sonic's incredibly serious tone.

"Um... Sonic... It was destroyed. But um... I'm working on another one right now. We need Chaos energy though..." He whispered thoughtfully attempting to maybe calm the crazy rage rushing through the azure hedgehog's body.

"Tails... I'm completely serious right now. If you do not get me a Chaos Emerald Locator and figure out a way to make it work, I swear I will rip off both your tails with my bare hands and use them for meat in my chili dogs... **NOW GET TO IT!** " The cobalt hedgehog threatened as he sat on the couch with flames of anger practically engulfing the surrounding area.

Tails body shivered in terror as he immediately began sketching designs and plans. He couldn't believe that the azure hedgehog would threaten him so acutely. What could possibly be making him so enraged?

Sonic remained on the couch impatiently tapping his foot against the tile flooring. For once in his life, he didn't care if he sounded evil or demonic. All he wanted was his beautiful ebony sweetheart back safe and sound.

 _(Shadow please be okay. I wish there was a way to find you sooner.)_ He thought as he glanced over at the fearful kitsune who was starting to show signs of frustration.

"Sonic... The only way I think this will work is if we get some of the Master Emerald's power and you know Knuckles. He would NEVER give it to us unless it was an absolute emergency."

"Don't worry about that Tails. I'll take care of all that crap. If he values his life, he will do **everything** needed to get that thing working." Sonic's voice was dark and diabolical as he clasped his hands together sternly.

"Sonic... You're acting um... unusual. Are you feeling okay?" Tails asked passively as he started to sort through his many cardboard boxes looking for an electronic chip.

"Are you questioning me _?_ " He responded while glaring at the fox with incredible intensity as he noticed his change of tone.

He had to admit, striking fear into the hearts of people felt strangely appealing; but quickly pushed the thought aside as he realized it made him sound like a monster.

" **NO!** Of course not. Not at all. I just don't see you like this very often." He replied practically shaking as he grasped the half-made machine.

"Then you shouldn't have to ask. Do what I say and everything will be okay." Sonic responded somewhat soothingly as he knew Tails would probably never forgive him if he didn't show some sign of affection.

"Your right. Forgive me. I didn't mean to sound disrespectful. I just want to make sure that you're going to be okay and not hurt anyone." The kitsune explained while screwing the last bolt into the Chaos Emerald Locator.

"As long as you follow my orders and not question my actions, you _will_ be fine, Tails." He knew he sounded practically like a villain, but his desire to protect Shadow was too great. Fighting his inner personality was just going to make him more emotional and angry.

"All done. We need the energy though and Sonic..." He looked up at the azure hedgehog's cold green eyes that were filled with nothing but determination.

" _Please_ , don't brutally murder Knuckles. I know you're having a mental breakdown right now but he is still our friend."

Sonic's face quickly changed to surprise as he noticed Tails's violently shaking body.

"I promise... But I'm going to get what I want and I don't care how I get it." The cobalt hedgehog quickly hopped off the sofa as he gently grabbed the device out of the practically crying fox's hands.

 _(Oh man... He's never going to let me live this down.)_ Sonic thought as he decided if he explained his actions maybe they would be easier to forgive.

"Shadow disappeared soon after the fight with Eggman. I have a horrible feeling that he was kidnapped. I'm sorry Tails, please understand you're a wonderful little brother and I'm not punishing you. However, it is **ESSENTIAL** I save him as soon as possible and I need everyone's cooperation to do so, especially my little side-kick." The sapphire hedgehog stated somewhat lovingly in an attempt to relax his quivering best friend.

Tails responded with a slow nod as he seemed to have calmed down a bit.

"I will now be heading to Angel Island to meet with Knuckles. I want you to stay here and watch for any signs of Shadow or Egghead." He gently patted the kitsune's shoulder as he started to feel somewhat guilty. At least he felt regret this time, which was normally very rare.

"No, I want to come with you! I can help..." Tails responded as he clenched his fists trying to show he was ready for anything thrown at him.

"You've helped enough. _Please, stay safe for me_." Sonic replied trying to mask the fact that he was afraid he might harm the fox if he snapped and wanted him as far away from this side of him as possible.

"Sonic... You're not bad. You may think you are, but I think you're a wonderful person. Even if you do have some problems, you're still my big brother and I'll always love you." The fox declared as he gave the azure hedgehog a little friendship hug to emphasize that he was honest.

"Thanks bro. That means a lot more to me than you can ever imagine." The cobalt hedgehog gently patted the kitsune's head before taking the machine and quickly walking out the door.

 _(If only you knew what happened Tails... If you knew, you would want to lock me up just like the rest of them.)_ He thought regretfully as he was on the brink of bursting into tears after realizing his best friend understood absolutely nothing.

No one understood... 


	21. Chapter 21

Shadow's ruby eyes drifted from emerald irises as he began devouring the little food Dr. Robotnik gave him. The two hedgehogs had been talking for hour's straight. Mostly about the fable that Ivo was apparently speaking of and strangely about each other. For a kid who probably awoke not long ago, he had some very strong opinions. Even though he was supposedly based off Sonic, his views seemed very different. Guess it goes to show you that just because you're a _copy_ doesn't mean you have the same thoughts. Shadow's eyes sporadically darted to the rope around Čelik's leg. How in the **world** was he going to get him and the kid out with that stupid energy holding them back? Not to mention using Chaos control was risky enough on its own. He knew he needed to get out of the cell before even attempting.

The miniature cobalt hedgehog continued to shade the princess picture on the wall with the many colors of paint Ivo gave him to keep him occupied and less likely to escape. He hummed a sweet tune as his face concentrated on painting the princess a perfect shade of black.

"How do you know exactly what she looks like? I mean that's quite descriptive." The ebony hedgehog asked curiously as he continued to nibble on his food desperately wishing for a little more.

"She appears in my dreams almost every night... _She's beautiful isn't she_?" Čelik responded as he turned around to glance at Shadow with adoration glimmering in his emerald eyes.

"Ah I see... About this creating a perfect world thing. What exactly would happen?" The ebony hedgehog felt somewhat confused for he was used to the doctor being a crazy evil scientist and not the kind of person who would want peace and order.

"Well, everything will be destroyed besides us, the mustached man, and the blessed children, of course." The tiny azure hedgehog responded as he started to eat the forgotten food he was given a while ago.

"Wait... **EVERYTHING**? Like everyone on this planet will just perish!?" Shadow exclaimed as he felt sudden rage build inside him.

"Well, not everyone. Only the good people will survive. With how many corrupted people live on this planet, it would be much easier to just start from scratch. Then we will create a kingdom and rule together for the rest of our existence." Čelik replied as he turned around to glare at the ebony hedgehog in response to his ferocious yells.

"Absolutely not! I would **never** destroy a planet. Especially after the near destruction of earth." Shadow quickly crossed his arms as his mind revolted any such thought.

"You're the princess of order. It is your job to restore peace and discipline to this chaotic world." The young cobalt hedgehog retorted while quickly nodding before continuing his innocent humming.

"But _Maria_... She said I was created to help people not destroy them." His heart collapsed a little as he was reminded of her last words.

"Maria... Who's Maria?" Čelik's eyes shot open in curiosity as he tilted his head cutely.

"She was my only friend on the space colony ARK. Where I was created and probably raised." The charcoal hedgehog explained as his body tensed at the azure hedgehog's adorable look of interest. Once again, it somewhat soothed his mind as he passively wrapped his arms around his knees .

"Interesting... So we are both man-made lifeforms then. Further evidence that we belong together." The little sapphire hedgehog placed his hand on his chest and sighed lovingly.

"Well, to be honest, I don't understand why the doctor would recreate Sonic if it wasn't to kill him. Why would he go to all the trouble of creating this absurd story?" Shadow asked frustratingly while glaring at the bars to the cell which were completely covered in strong Chaos energy.

 _(Why make **ME** suffer for something i didn't even ask to get involved with...)_

"Sonic?" Čelik inquired with that stupid look of curiosity that made him look like the cutest thing on the face on the Mobius.

"That is who you're based off of. Even though you and him act **NOTHING** alike." The ebony hedgehog quickly turned his head to the side as he tried to keep himself from chuckling in response to the tiny azure hedgehog's innocent demeanor.

"I wonder if he sees _you_ in his dreams too... Not that I care what he wants. You're mine no matter what anyone says." He replied as he glared at Shadow protectively.

"Dreams... OH YA! That's where I've heard you! You're the disembodied voice haunting my nightmares!" Shadow quickly changed the subject as he became somewhat bothered by the dark aura the little sapphire hedgehog was giving.

"Really? My apologies for frightening you, _my love_. I had no control over any of that. It must be your conscience trying to remind you of my existence." The child uttered enchantingly as if he was trying to sound like prince charming. He unfortunately appeared very fake, making the ebony hedgehog practically burst out in laughter.

"I kind of wish Sonic was as smart as you, kid." He answered mockingly as his brain suddenly connected the dots on what this all meant for him and his rival.

 _(Wait a minute. Dr. Eggman did say that he recreated my eternal lover, correct? So that means...) _His cheeks blushed bright red as he covered his face with his hands and violently shook his head left and right .

 _(No no no no no... Absolutely **no way** he's telling the truth! There must be something else going on here. However... if that somehow is true...)_ His body started to become warm as he was reminded of his handsome blue hero.

 _(That means... its okay. I don't have to be afraid if that's how things are supposed to be.)_ He thought as his heart felt somewhat relieved.

Abruptly, a shot of adrenaline ran through his body as he noticed Čelik's incredibly intense stare.

"Is he really that amazing? That Sonic guy... I can tell every second your thinking about him and it's making me **very** irritated." The child grunted frustratingly as he pouted his face cutely.

"Oh, it's not like that. He's _incredibly_ annoying and kind of immature. Not to mention he always tampers with my life and tries to get into my head. Honestly, he's just a bothersome kid. Even you have more maturity then he has and you just awoke." He complained disappointingly as he tried to lie to himself in hopes it would help him cope with the reality that he did in fact love him. Probably more than anyone. Possibly even... Maria.

"If what you say about this Sonic is true then we are one of the same... On the inside that is." The tiny azure hedgehog pointed to his chest as he continued to draw the beautiful patterns of the dress after finishing his food.

"Well... I think you've had it rougher then him. He's been given anything and everything he's ever wanted. A spoiled brat if you ask me." Shadow replied awkwardly as he tried to sound irritated even though his mind loved every stupid aspect of Sonic.

"Just because you see something obvious in a person does not mean that's who they are. It's important to understand and forgive ones past." The child uttered in a matter-of-fact tone as if it was an obvious statement.

"There you go again saying things like your some _ingenious_ poet." Shadow replied somewhat sarcastically as he took another very small bite of his food.

"It means we must understand and forgive others for what they did yesterday. Every event, no matter how minute, is incredibly important. That's why memories are so vital. It gives us a way to learn and forgive ourselves for what we did so that we may become someone better." He replied rather sweetly before reaching his hand out to Shadow symbolizing that he felt for him.

Once again, the kid got to him. The ebony hedgehog placed his hand over his eyes, hiding the evidence that he was somewhat saddened by the comment. It was odd how good the child was at finding his inner flaws and dissecting them for everyone to see. Guess the two brats really do have something in common.

"Man, you really know how to get to me. You must have an incredibly IQ. Faker can barely pass his classes without bribing the teacher into giving him a passing grade!" Shadow shouted as his words made it sound like he hated him but his tone and face spoke a very different emotion. They expressed almost a kind of adoration and acceptance that you only see in someone truly in love. He soon realized he was gazing into space and bashfully glanced down as he felt quite embarrassed.

"According to your facial expressions, he's smart enough to love you for who you are, right? Just as I do. _That is all the intelligence one needs to survive..._ " Čelik responded irritatingly as he tried to support his _princess_ even though he hated the thought of him day dreaming about anyone else but him.

Shadow once again sat in silence as he looked down as his plate of food. If these two are supposed to be identical copies that must means that this is who Sonic really is, at least to a certain extent. The thought scared him as he began to imagine how he would react if the azure hedgehog decided to show his true colors and never go back to being the cocky kid he was used to.

 _(Would I still love him...?)_

* * *

Blessed Children: Mobians born with compassion and humanity.


	22. Chapter 22

Sonic rapidly marched through Angel Island looking for any signs of the Master Emerald alter.

"It has to be around here _somewhere_..." He wondered out loud as he continued to huff and puff after searching for almost half an hour.

"Man, I haven't been here in **forever**! No time to sightsee though. I must find the location quick before..." Sonic stopped as his face became somewhat fearful and enraged.

 _(Before Shadow gets hurt... or worse killed.)_ His mind added as he pushed a tree branch out of his way before noticing a familiar red color emanating in the distance.

 _(That must be Knuckles. I wonder if he ever comes down from Angel Island. Well I do see him occasionally still it's very rare.)_ He thought as he walked passed the shrub and towards the altar steps.

 _(Poor Shadow. My sweet **beautiful** Shadow... Probably cold and hungry. He's already skinny enough as it is. I don't want him to die of starvation! Man, when I get my  hands on Egghead... I don't care if he **saved** my life, he's going to get the worst of me!)_ He took a few large steps up the stone stairs as his mind wanted nothing more than to lock up Shadow for the rest of eternity where nobody could possibly harm him.

His mind, still filled with vicious motivation and ferocity, couldn't imagine the amount of torture his sweetheart was being put through. He knew the ebony hedgehog could probably protect himself, but something inside him yearned to do everything and anything to find him. He couldn't really explain where the feeling came from. It was located very deep inside his soul. He could even feel his body starting to react to the immense amount of stress as he almost tripped over his own feet.

"Hay _Knux_! I need to borrow some of the energy stored in that emerald of yours to power this here contraption!" Sonic yelled as he raced up the steps to where the echidna was located who happened to be gently resting against the huge Master Emerald.

"First of all, the _hell_ are you doing here? Second of all, what in that _good-for-nothing_ brain of yours assumes I would allow **you** to use one of the most powerful weapons in the entire world for a stupid machine?" Knuckles responded as he approached the azure hedgehog quickly striking a provoking stance in order to show his authority.

Sonic's face quickly changed from his friendly everyday expression to dark and sinister as he realized there was no point in pretending to be nice.

"Knuckles, I'm in a horrible mood right now. Do **NOT** underestimate me. I need that power for this device  NOW. Unquestionably no exceptions." Sonic replied glaring coldly at the crimson echidna with a face of uncontrollable frustration.

"What in the world happened? You look as if you're about to snap! That isn't like you and **ABSOLUTELY** not. The Master Emerald's power is to only be used in emergency situations, like if the world is in danger."

"The world _will_ be in danger, Knuckles." He approached the echidna slowly as he grabbed his neck ferociously and held him up preventing him from running away.

"Don't think for a second that just because I'm a _hero_ or a _good guy_ means I can't kill. Give me the power or you can kiss your sorry ass goodbye." Sonic's eyes were stone cold as he tightened his grip a little to make a very serious point that he was not afraid to destroy anything in his path.

"What in the world has gotten... into you and I can't... without... the... permission... of..." His face started to turn blue as he attempted to speak some sense into the azure hedgehog who happened to be showing a slight smile as he watched him struggle.

"Give it to me... Now." Sonic glared closely into his purple eyes as he started to sense an odd feeling boil inside him.

It grew stronger and stronger as his desire to protect and find Shadow grew more desperate. And finally as Sonic assumed he would probably explode out of pure anger.

 **ZAP~~~~~~**

The crimson echidna screamed as he was catapulted across the altar as a huge surge of Chaos Energy erupted around the cobalt hedgehog while glowing yellow and white energy quickly swirled around him. His eyes grew stern as he walked over to the Master Emerald before removing his glove and gently placing it on the jewel.

Knuckles looked passively in complete surprise as he noticed how different Sonic looked. He appeared much older and more mature as he stood confidently as if he was about to rush into battle.

" **Chaos liberation!** " He yelled abruptly as pure light energy surged from his body and around the emerald creating a bright ring of uncontrollable Chaos energy.

The intense disc of power circled around the emerald for a bit before bolting into device. The excess energy immediately went back into Sonic's body as he fell feebly to the ground.

The red echidna quickly rushed over to the barely conscious hedgehog in pure amazement as he shook him attempting to keep him from passing out but to no avail. Sonic's eyes closed tightly as he didn't have quite enough energy to keep himself from falling into a deep sleep.

" **Voziti** has awoken..." A womanly voice echoed from the Master Emerald completely shocking Knuckles in the process.

"What the hell just happened...?" He replied as he still couldn't believe what he'd just witnessed.

* * *

Light enveloped blurry eyes as a young azure hedgehog sat in a pool of crimson red. His face expressing disgust and shock as he looked upon the bodies of five lifeless animal-like creatures. He slowly started to stand as he released a scream of sheer terror before sitting cowering in complete fear as collection of Mobian police officers surrounded his miserable whimpering body. They hesitantly approached the child before realizing their deceased brethren's morbidly mutilated corpses.

"Oh my Chaos..." One of the police officers spoke as he quickly placed his hand over his mouth.

A solitary palm was placed on the cobalt hedgehog's shoulder as tears erupted from his eyes.

"Be careful... You might be **next** , Ivo." One of the voices spoke fearfully as most of the officers took a few steps away from the horrible scene.

"He's _just_ a child... Maybe he was framed." Ivo responded calmly as he recognized the sheer guilt arising from the child's body.

"I didn't do it! It wasn't me! Im... Im..." The adolescent's face started to turn white as he hoped with every fiber of his being that this was some crazy awful nightmare.

His weeps became more desperate as the only human on the planet dragged him away from the pond of partially dried blood before placing him on the bench outside the building. He looked very closely at the ferociously sobbing and shaking hedgehog as he placed his hand on his head.

"Do you know what happened here?" He asked steadily in an attempt to maybe compose the insane whimpers emanating from the child's voice.

"I don't... I..." The shuddering became more violent as the sapphire hedgehog looked as if he was about to vomit.

"Please, if you tell _us_ the truth there will be no more pain, okay?" The chubby officer reassured as he gently stroked the top of his head.

" **I DON'T KNOW! I DON'T REMEMBER!** " He screamed frantically while holding his head tight, gently swaying back and forth in an attempt to cope with the situation.

His cries of incredible regret and denial continued as his mind was roaring with many terrifying questions.

( ** _Why me... Why did I deserve this? What did I do...? Who am I?!)_** His thoughts started to overcome his sense of reality as his heart snapped shut. No longer allowing any sense of guilt to vent from his fearful emerald eyes.

 **(Why... Why... Why...?)**


	23. Chapter 23

Sonic awoke slightly emotional as he gently pushed the pillow against his face attempting to hide his tears.

"Ah... So you _finally_ awake. You've been crying out in sheer panic for hours. I was wondering when you would finally regain your composure." The strong echidna pestered sarcastically as he sat not too far away from the azure hedgehog.

"Knuckles... You're okay. **Thank Chaos**. I was worried I killed you or something." Sonic responded in a somewhat relieved tone as the nightmare left him with a feeling of unbelievable regret.

"Me? _C'mon_ , I can handle my own... Let's cut to the chase, shall we?" The crimson echidna responded in a low respectable tone as he cleared his throat.

"Hmm? What do you mean?" The cobalt hedgehog replied curiously as he tilted his head in slight confusion.

"I'll spare you the details, however it's important you be are aware of my duties. As a **guardian,** my job is to protect the Master Emerald. Up to this point, I thought that was my only duty. However, a voice just spoke to me while you were unconscious and explained some vital information I was somehow not aware of. Apparently, there are creatures in this universe with the ability to manipulate Chaos energy. There are many but two of these users are called royals. The royals are the most powerful manipulators of Chaos. You know there are two sides to everything, right? For example, light and dark or insanity to sanity. Well, the royals are somewhat similar. There is one royal that regulates Chaos energy and one that frees it." Knuckles clarified as he pulled out a sheet of paper with all the notes he had written down soon after the event so he could remember.

"Oh... That makes sense, but what does that have anything to do with me...?" Sonic crossed his arms in slight frustration as he was reminded that he was supposed to be doing something very important and felt like the echidna was wasting time with gibberish that didn't apply to him.

"Apparently, you are one of these creatures. You are the liberator of Chaos energy. Also known as Prince Voziti, according to the voice. In other words, you disperse or free Chaos energy in order to keep the balance. Which greatly worries me, because apparently, you're one of the most powerful Mobians in the world and yet you're a clueless, egotistical kid. " Knuckles retorted as he gently massaged his forehead in minor distress.

"Voziti... _That name..._ " Sonic's face lit up as the name sounded eerily familiar. Where in the world had he heard it?

"You are one of the keys to a harmonistic and peaceful world that apparently many of our **ancestors** longed to experience. That is why you are called a prince because you were originally supposed to be a ruler of Mobius. And the other key is your princess, Miran. She is the other side of the spectrum. She controls Chaos energy by manipulating the power around her. You know the saying opposites attract? This is no different. You and the princess were born to rule together and without each other the world will always be unbalanced. The voice made it seem like this _perfect world_ created when you rule together, was the only way our planet could finally find peace." Knuckles continued as he once again glanced as his notes as if he was worried he might mix up the facts.

"Miran?" Sonic's expression turned somewhat shocked as he remembered a lovely voice he'd forgotten from his childhood.

"Remember that beautiful lady from your dreams you also called Miran?" The echidna spoke softly as he noticed Sonic's body suddenly stiffen in devotion.

" _Of course_... For a while, she was the only thing keeping me going. The thought that one day I would find and run away with her was my motivation to live for years..." The cobalt hedgehog replied as he felt his heart sink into his chest as the sound of her lovely voice practically tortured his mind.

"I thought it was just a reaction to everything that happened after... Ya know, _the inciden_ _t_." The sapphire hedgehog added as he pulled his knees up close to his chest and hid his face behind them in shame.

"It might have been but I assume it was also your mind trying to remind you of **YOUR** job." Knuckles emphasized as he walked over to Sonic and patted his shoulder comfortingly.

"Now being the prince, you do have a choice. However, your purpose for being born has been stated. Awaken Miran and create the perfect world. _MY_ job is to keep Chaos from getting out of hand for the time being." The crimson echidna sighed in frustration as he realized his own job got a heck of a lot more complicated.

"So... my feelings for Miran were true. Don't worry. I'll find her if it takes me the rest of my existence." The cobalt hedgehog responded confidently in a somewhat desperate tone.

"To be honest, you **ARE** eternal lovers, you should be able to find her without trying. In fact, you probably already met her and just not realized." Knuckles shrugged before handing the azure hedgehog the notes he had taken.

Sonic looked up slightly mockingly as he found it hilarious that the crimson echidna was smart enough to know that he would probably forget half the information.

"What is Miran like anyway? If I am going to find her and awaken her, I need to know more about her. First of all, is she as beautiful as i remember her?" The sapphire hedgehog added as he glanced to the side in slight embarrassment as Shadow's face lit up in his brain as soon as he uttered the word beautiful.

"The voice didn't really tell me much about her appearance merely her personality. She's self-controlled, quiet, shy, antisocial and somewhat awkward. But she does have a good heart and a desire to help people without judgment."

"And Voziti?" The azure hedgehog inquired somewhat hesitantly as he was afraid Knuckle's would say something rude about _his_ personality.

"Ever seen those crazy college kids who drink and get into trouble practically every day but are so fun to be around you just have to invite them to a party even though you know they're probably not safe to hang out with?" The crimson echidna exclaimed mockingly as he realized how offensive the statement sounded.

" **HAY! ** That's not fair to the poor guy!" Sonic growled as he sat up in rebellion to the thought that Knuckles was practically insulting him to his face.

"Voziti is the essence of liberty and anarchy, if you want to get political. His concept of morals and ideals are a _little_ borderline. He by no means is evil but he is a bit on the rebellious side. That's all I was trying to say..." He responded defensively as he was trying to make a very clear point.

"And the princess **likes** that? She doesn't sound like the kind of woman who likes crazy men." Sonic looked down at the ground in slight embarrassment as he felt like he didn't deserve a princess in the first place.

"Well, apparently Voziti is a bit of a charmer as well. I guess Miran likes charismatic men." He shrugged slightly as even he didn't really understand the reason.

"Ya... That does sound like me." The cobalt hedgehog crossed his arms in frustration and he sighed in disbelief that he was some kind of powerful prince.

All of this information made him almost sound like a crazy deity who needed a princess to help him control his actions so he didn't harm anyone. He hoped that he served more of a use than just making everything irrational and disorganized.

"Now this is all figurative of course. Chaos energy causes the carriers to have certain kinds of personality traits depending on their job at hand. Nevertheless, the voices explanation was quite clear.Awaken Miran. Create a perfect world. Rule it together for the rest of your existence." He responded making sure he was summarizing it as short and sweet as possible.

"How in the hell do two people **_CREATE_** a perfect world, anyway?" Sonic asked skeptically as he assumed it probably wasn't easy or moral for that matter.

"Unfortunately, she wasn't very clear on that. It sounded like it was somehow recorded into the master emerald so I had no way of asking questions." The red echidna rolled his eyes as he was starting to get sick of talking to this little brat even if he was a prince.

"Well, that's stupid... So all the voice told you was to find..." The sapphire hedgehog's thoughts drifted off for a second as he started to remember the reason why he came to Angel Island in the first place.

" **SHADOW!** How long have I been asleep?!" He exclaimed as he threw the sheets off his body and stood abruptly in sheer panic.

"Oh, about a day and a half. What about him?" Knuckles asked irritably as he gave the azure hedgehog a scowl for messing up his perfectly made bed.

"Egghead took him! I need to find him right now... Heck, I'm probably too late." He responded somewhat fearfully as he looked down at the ground in shame for letting Shadow be tortured for this long.

"Shadow, of all people got captured?! Ultimate Lifeform _my ass_." Knuckles snickered in hilarity as he couldn't believe that the great and powerful Shadow the Hedgehog needed to be saved like some kind of damsel.

"That's why I'm worried. If he was captured I would think he would break out rather easily or find a way to use Chaos control. But according to Tails he isn't anywhere to be found." Sonic looked down worryingly as his heart became increasingly concerned with the situation at hand.

" **Wait...** " They both stood and stared at each other as an imaginary light bulb appeared above both their heads.

"No way... You said _princess,_ right? That meaning it has to a female?" The azure hedgehog stared at Knuckles intensely as he forcefully grabbed his shoulders.

"No clue. The voice never really emphasized gender only personality." He replied uncomfortably as he really didn't like being touched by anyone, especially not this stupid brat.

Sonic's mouth curved up presenting the sweetest most thrilled smile Knuckles had probably ever seen.

" _Woah there_... You're creeping me out." He replied as he glared at the cobalt hedgehog awkwardly.

" **Do you think Shadow is Miran!?** " Sonic exclaimed enthusiastically as he shook the echidna's shoulders violently in pure exhilaration.

"Holy shit. **Calm the hell down!** Why is that a good thing? I thought you  hated Shadow." Knuckles responded as he pushed the azure hedgehog away before scowling in confusion.

"Not at all... I..." Sonic's ears quickly went down as he wrapped his arms around himself pretending he was holding the ebony hedgehog in his arms.

"When the hell did you become so love-struck? You look like a _complete_ idiot, by the way." The crimson echidna once again rolled his eyes mockingly as he sighed in annoyance.

"I could die happy if we were somehow meant to be." Sonic looked up with his eyes beaming with hope and admiration as he cupped his hands together before placing them on his heart.

"Oh Chaos, _please_ don't start getting sappy. It's disgusting." The echidna frowned in slight revulsion as he put his hands up in defense emphasizing that he did NOT want to hear any more.

"You don't get it, Knuckles! If he somehow _is_ Miran then he will be forced to accept my feelings." The cobalt hedgehog's eyes turned somewhat aggressive as he softly bit down on his thumb.

"Another trait of Voziti, assertiveness. Just because Miran is your princess doesn't mean she has no say in the matter. She is **NOT** property. You both have to agree to rule together." He responded while eying Sonic coldly as his words came off as incredibly stern.

" _But..._ " The sapphire hedgehog's ears went down in displeasure as he gave a childlike pout.

"No buts. I get that you crave power and dominance but she's still a person." Knuckles responded while giving him an especially ruthless glare.

"If she's _MY_ princess then she should have to do what _I_ say..." The azure hedgehog spoke slightly coldly as his eyes turned somewhat perverted.

"Man you are so much like Voziti it **hurts** and get your mind out of the gutter." The crimson echidna slapped his hand against his forehead as he groaned in annoyance.

"I can't help it if I like to be in control. Wait, but didn't you say Voziti was all about freeing Chaos energy? How come I like feeling powerful?" Sonic questioned confusingly as he grabbed a pillow before hugging it to his chest deep in thought about the whole situation.

"Correct, however Voziti is a **dominant** entity. Meaning he is protective and assertive. Whereas Miran is **submissive** meaning she is much more passive and shy." Knuckles replied firmly, looking closely at the azure hedgehog's face to make sure he wasn't puzzling him too badly.

"I see... So just because Miran is all about rules and regulation doesn't mean she's all strict and stern? Then that IS Shadow's real personality. That considerate, passive, affectionate, beautiful mind really is him." As he continued each word seemed to be spoken with more fondness and by the end of the sentence he looked practically drunk with relief.

"Now again we have no _concrete_ evidence that he is her and until she awakens we will never truly know." The crimson echidna added as he grumbled at the sapphire hedgehog's incredibly embarrassing look of love and admiration.

"He **will** awaken. I will do everything in my power to reach him. No one **EVER** underestimates Sonic The Hedgehog! However, first I need to save him from the clutches of evil." Sonic catapulted the blanket off his body as he quickly grabbed the functioning Chaos Emerald Locator before dashing out of the little home.

"It was nice talking to you… _I guess_?" Knuckles responded sarcastically as he felt like the cobalt hedgehog seriously disrespected him.

But that was like Sonic and Voziti for that matter- To get a ton of information and not give it any time to sink in. How in the world is this kid going to be a ruler?!

Voziti (Vo-zee-tee) – translates roughly to drive in Croatian.


	24. Chapter 24

Finally, by the third day, the doctor had released Shadow from his chains and he was allowed to interact with the childish azure hedgehog. The Chaos energy surrounding the cell was still in effect, preventing any hope of escape. But at least he could talk with the little blue toddler now. Oddly enough, the first thing they did when the charcoal hedgehog approached and stared at each other in slight hesitation before the tiny cobalt hedgehog finally had the guts to reach out and attempt to touch him. Unfortunately, he was immediately rejected by a cold stare and growl as the ebony hedgehog reacted with slight suspicion. Čelik countered with a slight smile as he found this denial somewhat charming.

"I'm surprised how skeptical you are. In my dreams, you always seemed so _passive_. In fact, your name practically translates to peaceful." The child uttered quietly as he wished with every fiber of his being that he could move and tackle the ebony hedgehog right to the ground.

"What name? The princess has a name?" Shadow asked in slight confusion before kneeling down to listen closely to what the young child was saying.

"Yep. It's Miran! And the prince, that being me, is the great and powerful Voziti. Not to stroke my own ego or anything but I'm _quite_ a handsome fellow according to the legends." He articulated confidently as he flashed a heroic pose.

 _(Wait a second! Miran, that's the name from my nightmare... The **hell**? Does that mean what the kid speaks of is true?  That can't be possible?! There must be some crazy voodoo going on here... How the hell could I have heard the name Miran without even knowing she existed at the time... Unless the story somehow is...) _Shadow remained still, completely shocked by that thought that the kid was speaking the truth.

"Wait... So what you're trying to tell me is that this is based off of some kind of **fact**? I thought this was a made up thing that you and the doctor came up with." The charcoal hedgehog questioned, still in complete astonishment.

"You really think I'm **THAT** imaginative. Of course, I didn't. However, this is only what the mustached man told me. But it must be true! Because when I'm near you, I feel like it's the way things are supposed to be forever and ever. I'm _so_ happy, Shadow." His eyes started to tear up little as he put his palm over his mouth.

"Now... Now... No need to cry. You're okay." Shadow comforted as he gently patted Čelik's shoulder once again fighting the part of him that desperately wanted to hold this poor child as tightly as he could.

"I'll stop crying if you cuddle me and tell me you're _my_ princess..." He responded cutely as he flashed his emerald eyes teasingly before wrapping his arms around Shadows hips.

"Fat chance kid." The ebony responded irritably as he pushed the child's hands off his body.

" _C'mon_... You're **no** fun!" Čelik complained mockingly as he crossed his arms over his body in frustration.

"Do I _look_ like a clown to you?" The charcoal hedgehog replied irksomely before gently rubbing his fingertips against the temple of his forehead.

"With how good you are at acting, maybe!" The tiny sapphire hedgehog cleverly retorted as he decided to grab his paintbrush and continue painting the beautiful ball gown of the princess on the wall.

"Why thank you... _I think_." The ebony responded sarcastically as he decided to sit next to the toddler and watch his incredible painting technique.

"So, this Voziti character? What is he exactly?" He added, watching very closely to every stroke as if he was watching Leonardo Da Vinci paint a masterpiece.

"Well, he isn't really considered a god or a divine entity but he has the ability to manipulate Chaos energy. So I would consider him, and you for that matter, prophets of Chaos. You control or prevent Chaos energy from destroying everything and inhibiting the development of life and Voziti does the opposite. He kind of keeps things random and spontaneous by freeing it. Both are necessary in creating a perfect society." The child replied happily as he adored the attention Shadow was giving him.

"So when I say Chaos control, I'm actually adjusting Chaos energy? Wait but Sonic can do that too... Even though he was using a fake emerald, which always confused me." The charcoal hedgehog answered attentively as he felt somewhat puzzled.

"Just because you say the words _chaos control_ doesn't mean that's what you're doing. You could be saying anything and it would have the same effect. However yes, you are the controller of Chaos and Chaos energy. That is your purpose." The little hedgehog glanced back at Shadow before tightly grabbing his hand, never wanting to let go.

"So, can Sonic use Chaos control too? Or is he actually doing something else and just not realizing it?" He glanced away shyly as he felt slightly uncomfortable with the child touching him even if he did look adorable when doing it.

"How would I know? I've been trapped in this twenty by twenty cell ever since I first opened my eyes." Čelik stated mockingly as he pulled on the ebony hedgehog's hand, desperately wishing for him to come closer.

"Well, _sorry_. You seem to know a lot more about this world then me, so I just assumed. And I know... Don't worry, I'll find a way for both of us to escape." He responded sympathetically as he stood sternly not giving into the child's loving actions.

"Really?! You mean it?!" The little blue hedgehog exclaimed happily as he gave Shadow a sweet smile.

"As long as you promise to _behave_... I have a funny feeling like you're normally **very** dangerous." The charcoal hedgehog uttered as he stared intensely, trying to decide once and for all, if Čelik was a threat.

"Oh... What? All I want to do is to destroy everyone I deem unworthy for our future as King and Queen of anything and everything? How is that _DANGEROUS_?" The child reacted to the staring by teasingly glaring back as he batted his eyes sweetly attempting to look as innocent as possible.

"All I'm saying is there's a **reason** Ivo locked you up. You have to promise that you will not harm  ANYONE unless it's an absolute emergency." Shadow responded coldly emphasizing every word very clearly as to not confuse the blue youngster.

"But what is the point of creating a perfect world if we have to leave the bad people here?" Čelik complained with a very annoyed childlike tone.

"There are no BAD people. There are only different opinions and situations. Like a snowflake everyone is diverse and even a _prince_ has no right to take another's life just because they are unusual or unconventional." The ebony hedgehog replied firmly.

"You really are just like her. So ethical, supportive and understanding. I really do envy that. I kill everything that looks threatening without a single thought. I know I'm horrible, but sometimes I wish there was a way for me to live happily and not be trapped in this prison." The little azure hedgehog murmured sadly as he looked up at the charcoal hedgehog with his eyes radiating with hopelessness.

"With me here, I can **assure** you. I will find a way to help." Shadow replied as he gave a somewhat loving expression before placing his hand on the tiny cobalt hedgehog's head.

"Really...? How can I **possibly** do that when all I do is kill?!" The child asked fearfully as he his voice emphasized the complete desperation and despair resting deep inside his heart.

"If you trust me... I can assure you that everything will be fine." He responded while gentling stroking the youngster's short quills.

"You're my princess. _Of course_ I trust you..." Čelik answered affectionately as he purred in response to the gentle petting.

"Then you will be fine." Shadow patted the top of his head before winking, completely convinced he would find a way.

He was surprised to notice the kid's expression quickly change from cheerful to slightly ashamed as he pushed the ebony's hand off his quills.

"Shadow, there's _something_ I didn't tell you..." He admitted frightfully while staring at the ground, deeply apologetic for not telling the bad news sooner.

The charcoal hedgehog responded with a slight tilt of his head.

"Two _Vozitis_ cannot live in this world at the same time for very long." Čelik continued before flickering his emerald eyes back to Shadow's, not too surprised to see his angry and slightly confused expression.

" **What...!?** " The charcoal hedgehog exclaimed in complete denial and frustration.

Now everything made sense... This is why he created Čelik!

"If me and the other Voziti live on this planet for too long, everything will collapse and there will be no more." He whispered as his face started to become slightly emotional.

Shadow braced himself, as he was quite aware of what the child was trying to say. There was a long pause as Čelik's eyes turned fearful.

 **"One of us HAS to die, Shadow."**


	25. Chapter 25

Sonic quickly rushed through the forest as he followed the exact directions of the Chaos Emerald Locator. His mind and soul were committed to arriving at the destination as soon as possible. However, for only a second, he decided to take a tiny break as he was still exhausted from whatever happened a couple days before.

 _(Shadow needs me. I have to keep going... Why do I feel so **damn** tired though...?) _ He leaned against a tree while panting, desperately desiring more air, before the snap of a twig startled him to attention.

" _Well_ , _well, well_. If it isn't the egotistical blue peasant. Looking for Shadow, I assume? Don't worry he's safe." The brown hedgehog pestered mockingly as he folded his arms and rolled his eyes in complete insolence.

"Rob... What the hellhave you done with him?! You **CANNOT** keep us apart. You do realize that right?! Love will always prevail over evil." Sonic exclaimed as he growled at the uninterested hedgehog while clenching his fists in assurance.

"Oh Chaos. Do you even realize how _lame_ you sound? It's no wonder Shadow likes you. You're downright precious." He replied cleverly as he wrapped his arm around the cobalt's waist before yanking him way too close for comfort.

" **Get your hands off me!** " The sapphire hedgehog yelled furiously as his body felt especially violated before aggressively shoving the brunet hedgehog against the tree.

He dropped the Chaos Emerald Locator to the side as he got into his normal fighting position.

"You wanna dance pretty boy?! THEN LET'S DANCE!" Sonic exclaimed as he forcefully thrusted his fist into the brown hedgehogs gut, glaring in pure cruelty.

Quickly, the pinkish eyes of his enemy became serious as he rammed his leg against Sonic's knees causing him to collapse in pain.

" **HAY!** That's cheating!" The azure shouted as he tried to regain his stance like nothing happened even though he knew the brunet hedgehog pretty much won the _fight_.

"You really want to play this game?! I told you Shadow **IS** safe. You think I would ever let a stupid scientist hurt him?! **NOT A CHANCE IN HELL!** " Rob bellowed in complete ferocity as his face became slightly red with frustration and wrath.

"How can you be sure?! You probably don't even love him and are just using him!" The cobalt spat as he didn't realize the mine field he just walked into.

There was a long pause as Rob's face became especially demonic.

"I love him... More than you ever could love... I've work harder then you have ever worked and I will not let a _stupid_ kid like you tell me what to do! I **EARNED** his affection... I..." The brown hedgehog's voice became slightly emotional as it trailed off in sheer outrage.

"You don't get it... You'll never get it..." He added as his face started to turn malicious while his body filled with rage and disgust.

" **You**... **Don't**... **Deserve**... **Him**." Rob spoke clearly as he reached out and pointed his finger at Sonic with sheer pain and slight guilt sparkling in his rosy eyes.

"Shadow... He means everything to me and you're getting in my way of protecting him. I am ending your life right now..." He finished as his he looked down at the ground in regret.

"You and what army bro?!" The cobalt hedgehog yelled sarcastically as he got into his running position.

"CHAOS SPEAR!" He belted as a flash of Chaos energy was released from his finger tips and aiming straight for Sonic's head.

The azure hedgehog easily dodged the spear by stepping out of the way but the energy followed him as he ran all around the forest before it finally caught up to him and zapped his body making him violently smash against a tree. A little blood dripped from his mouth as he wiped it from his face before slowly regaining his posture.

"You're not dead?! How is that possible?" Rob questioned alarmingly as he placed his hand over his mouth in sheer amazement.

"Do **NOT** underestimate me..." Sonic stated coldly as his body began to move on its own. Straight towards the flabbergasted brunet hedgehog.

Rob remained standing in his spot in complete shock at what he was witnessing. Pure Chaos energy circled around the azure hedgehog's body as it glowed with more power then he had ever witnessed.

The kind of pure Chaos energy he knew belonged to one person and one person alone.

"Oh my Chaos... I've made a grave mistake." He uttered dreadfully as he moved his body until he was sitting on his knees and bowed in complete submission to one of his great leaders.

"Do you not remember your job,Nedaće ?" The shining hedgehog spoke firmly and confidently in a booming low voice as Rob was reminded that it was no longer Sonic speaking.

"I do, sir. My sincerest apologies... Prince Voziti." He responded fearfully as he knew the extent of the prince's power and how easily he could end his life.

"Then I expect better cooperation and effort..." Voziti confirmed as he gave a nod of closure before the ring of energy was absorbed back into his body.

"Of course. I had no idea..." The brunet hedgehog added as his heart began to pump with discontent when he realized exactly what this meant for him and Shadow's _relationship_.

 _(The time has come... After all these years of waiting...)_

Sonic's body fell quickly to the ground as Rob carefully carried him to under the nearest tree where he could safely regain his energy.

"No matter how much I hate you... I have to uphold my duties as the guardian of Miran." He quickly grabbed the Chaos Emerald Locator before gently placing it in his pocket.

* * *

He remained silent for a few minutes as emotion and frustration started to steadily build in his heart. Eventually, he couldn't hold back the pain any longer as tears started to cascade down his face. He had worked so hard to gain Shadow's trust and now it really didn't matter anymore. He was required to follow Voziti's orders and protect them both, no matter what he desired. His cries started to turn into soft pitiful whimpers as he came to the realization that there was no possibility of him and Shadow ever being together. He knew from the moment they met that the gorgeous charcoal hedgehog was the princess, however as a guardian you're not supposed to provoke the development of the royal family. This meaning, he was already breaking many rules by falling in love and caring for the ebony. Still, his love for Miran and Shadow was more powerful than anything he could ever describe.

He took a deep breath and cut his feelings away from being shown to the world as he knew this situation was his fault. All he could possibly do now was pray that this was somehow a horrible nightmare and tomorrow he would wake up with everything being back to normal. He thought of all the time he would spend with Shadow, if all of this was somehow a dream. Hopefully reading, laughing and possibly cuddling, if he agreed of course. But evidently he came to the understanding that this was reality and that he had to grow a backbone. However, he never could have imagined this day coming so soon. The day when he would have to give up Shadow to the only person he was supposed to be with in the first place.

He placed a hand softly on the sleeping azure hedgehog as a tear fell onto one of his quills.

"I hate you... So... Much." He whispered miserably as each word emphasized complete hopelessness.

A beautiful landscape filled with trees and mountains surrounded the cobalt hedgehog as a strange feeling stirred inside him. He looked up as he witnessed a gorgeous castle with breathtaking windows and archways. It was a familiar feeling as he was happy to hear the beautiful voice of the one who kept him alive for so many years.

"Voziti..." The voice cried as she stood atop one of the many stunning balconies as if she was some kind of amazing goddess.

"Miran... My lovely Miran." Sonic responded as he reached up to the gorgeous sky as if he was trying to touch her magnificent voice even though he was probably a hundred feet below her.

"I will find a way to reach you... No matter how long I have to climb or how many years I have to try..." He added as his mind started to feel a sense of harmony when he was finally able to witness her beautiful form.

She stood shyly, as her gorgeously beaded and embroidered midnight dress flowed around her in almost pure perfection. Her fur was as black as the darkest night and yet her eyes were a striking shade of crimson. The little tiara in her hair really made her look like some statue carved by angels. The azure hedgehog felt his heart sink to the ground as he realized she looked just like Shadow.

"It **is** you... How could I be so blind...?" He uttered as he felt a strange combination of regret and happiness.

"Voziti... _I need you_..." She admitted almost softly as she extended her arm out to the cobalt hedgehog longingly.

"Find me... before it's too late." She continued sweetly as she intertwined her fingers placing them near her lips almost as if she was praying.

"I **HAVE** been searching Miran and I think... After all this time... That I've found you." Sonic cried out in desperation as his face filled with emotion and pain when he was reminded of all the sleepless nights he had to endure while looking for her.

"I love you... You're a wonderful man Voziti and an exceptional leader. I've longed to work aside your greatness for decades." She responded as her beautiful face expressed a very passive loving grin.

"Don't worry... I will do everything in my power to make you mine." The cobalt hedgehog replied with confidence as he clenched his fist in motivation.

"Silly Voziti. I'm already yours... And I always will be. _For the rest of eternity_." She giggled faintly as the sight of the sapphire hedgehog's sudden motivation seemed to amuse her.

"I wouldn't want it any other way." He replied cleverly before nodding in triumph.

"I know..." The princess countered slightly teasingly before bowing in admiration.

Everything turned to black as the azure hedgehog's mind floated in nothingness.

 _(Must save Shadow...)_ Echoed through his mind as his thoughts remained motivated and strong without any desire of give up.

* * *

Nedaće (Ne-da-chay): Roughly translates to adversity in Croatian.


	26. Chapter 26

The cobalt awoke incredibly frustrated as he realized he'd fallen asleep... _Again_. This instance however, it was a much shorter period of time as he glanced all around the forest attempting to regain his composure. His eyes soon paused as he witnessed an absurdly skinny and feeble looking brunet hedgehog who happened to be sitting only a few inches away from his resting body. His face looked as if it had the joy and energy sucked right out of it as his bloodshot purple eyes glared at him in both defeat and regret.

"Feeling better, peasant?" He choked slightly on his words as he felt like he would burst out crying just by the mere thought of talking.

His eyes looked incredibly weak as he gently patted the azure hedgehog's shoulder before standing with his arm reaching out to him.

"C'mon, I'll take you to Shadie." He continued plainly, attempting to hold every emotion inside as the cobalt quickly took his hand.

"Why the sudden change of heart, Rob?" The azure hedgehog questioned while standing confidently as if he just won some kind of argument or fight.

The brunet hedgehog's face immediately turned pale as he couldn't hold in the pain any longer. A few tears streamed down his face as his mind still couldn't believe his eyes.

"Your Voziti..." He stated emotionally as his heart was still fighting those exact words.

"Is that a problem?" The sapphire hedgehog queried in slight frustration as he showed absolutely no sign of compassion.

"I'm Nedaće, the guardian and protector of Miran..." Rob added as felt even worse as he knew the azure felt absolutely nothing for him.

No sympathy, no regret, no _nothing_. Exactly what he expected of Voziti.

"Wait! Do you mean Shadow... Please tell me its true?!" Sonic shouted triumphantly as his face showed immediate admiration.

"Correct... I..." The brunet hedgehog stopped as he choked a little on his own sobs.

" _Please_... Don't tell him I told you. I'm not really even supposed to be giving you this kind of information... Its strictly against protocall to provoke the development of you and the princess..." Rob begged desperately as he wiped the tears from his eyes before letting out a quick sigh in an attempt to regain control of his emotions.

Strangely a frown appeared on the cobalt's face as he figured out exactly why the brown hedgehog was acting so sensitive and heartbroken.

"I'm sorry, Rob. Must be really tough being forced to give up shadow like this." He identified as his eyes showed just a glimmer of sympathy and his pupils drifted straight towards the ground in regret.

"Maria, would have wanted it this way... I was stupid. I fell for him even though I was forbidden to from the start. He is **yours**... Always has been. Forgive me, I just need a little time to get my thoughts together. I will continue my job just _please_ don't kill me..." The brown hedgehog explained as his face still remained emotionally unstable.

"Wait, you knew Maria?! And why are you so afraid? You **destroyed** me remember!?" Sonic exclaimed in embarrassment as he scratched the back of his head in slight hindrance.

"Voziti can eliminate anyone who gets in his way, if he wanted to. You spared my mortal life and for that I cannot be more thankful. Now I shall take you to Shadow." He responded, very careful not to answer the cobalt's question regarding Maria.

He walked up to Sonic and quickly grabbed his arm.

"C'mon do whatcha do best, peasant!" He bellowed somewhat bitter-sweetly as he tried to regain his composure.

"Hmm? And what's that?" The azure responded cautiously as he didn't think Rob had any idea what he was talking about.

" **RUN!** " He hollered ferociously, as he slapped his hand against the sapphire hedgehog's back and dashed past him at a relatively high speed.

Sonic, being the fastest thing alive, caught up to him almost instantly before watching carefully to his running movements. He started noticing something very odd. He seemed to be using Chaos Energy, just like Shadow, to sprint. How was that possible? Either the ebony hedgehog taught him or...

"Are you _sure_ you're not related to Shadow?" Sonic asked coldly, focused on getting an exact answer as he easily dodged all the trees and rocks that approached him.

"Depends on what you mean by _related_..." The chocolate colored hedgehog responded mockingly as he didn't want to give the answer away too quickly or easily for that matter.

"Well you guys DO look very similar and you both use Chaos Energy." Sonic stated curiously as if he was trying to put together a giant jigsaw puzzle with the information he's been given. He abruptly passed the brunet hedgehog who quickly took this as a challenge.

"I think there's a _better_ person you should ask. When you go home tonight take a good look at yourself and ask that same question." Rob countered as he glared at the azure hedgehog with a look of an all-knowing genius before lazily passing him with complete ease.

"Me and Shadow are **definitely** not related, if that's what you're trying to tell me." The sapphire hedgehog responded quickly.

The answer was completely obvious to him. Him and Shadow were not even from the same planet, there was no way they could be related. He then replied to the brunet hedgehog surpassing him by speeding up so fast he rammed face first right into a tree.

"Look at your face _very_ closely in a mirror and then ask. The answer should be obvious to you. If there is one part of your body that never lies it's your **eyes**." He walked quietly over to the azure hedgehog and patted his shoulder patronizingly.

He pointed to the obvious Eggman Base in front of them as he seemed a bit more cheerful. Somehow, releasing all those emotions happened to make him a little more accepting of the situation.

"My eyes?" Sonic queried as he gave the look of complete frustration because of Rob attempting to act like some kind of psychological mastermind and the azure hedgehog found it very nauseating.

"Eyes are a gateway to knowledge. We are forced to confront the truth when we look at them long enough. Trust me, I've tried this with Shadow and it works almost every time. Also, to answer your question, I'm as closely related to Shadow as you are." He stated matter-of-factly as he approached the big steel doors and groaned as he had to remember the stupid passcode.

"You mean not at all..." The cobalt hedgehog replied, incredibly annoyed that he acquired no more information than when he started the conversation.

"If that's what you want to believe, go ahead. But for now, I'll let you ponder that question. _Are you and Shadow somehow connected?_ " He quickly inserted the correct password and nodded softly as it opened.

"Good luck. He should be in sector B, cell three." Rob stated quickly pointing to the location on the map in front of them.

"But that has a giant hazard sign painted on top of it." Sonic asked somewhat fearfully and angrily as he thought the brunet hedgehog was leading him straight into a trap.

"About that. Whatever you do. Do not and I repeat do **NOT** look into its eyes.  Do I make myself clear? I don't know very much about it, but apparently it was created to protect Shadow and will destroy anything else in its path." Rob explained slowly, enunciating every word in the process just in case sapphire hedgehog wasn't listening intently.

"What _it_?! **WHAT'S IN THERE WITH SHADOW?! YOU SAID HE WAS SAFE!** " The azure shouted dreadfully as he rammed his fist against the metal door, surprising Rob in the process.

"It won't hurt Shadow. It was programmed that way and should be sealed up quite tight. So as long as you don't make eye contact, I'm sure you'll be fine." He responded irritably as Sonic's sporadic behavior somewhat startled him. He didn't want to look submissive even though he knew Voziti could disintegrate his body with just the point of his finger.

"Is it a robot?" The cobalt asked as he traced his finger across the map looking for the fastest and easiest way to reach his _rival_.

"A very special, highly sophisticated and sentient android, yes." Rob replied as he noticed Sonic's intense glare and took a cautious step back.

"Why won't you come in with me then? If it's _so_ dangerous." He asked suspiciously before crossing his arms.

"Because unfortunately, I'm only a guardian. My lifespan is relatively short and I'd rather experience it to the fullest." He countered awkwardly as he felt especially uncomfortable with how stern the azure's face was.

"Oh I get it. You're a little pussy! I see how it is. You're probably just sending me to my grave so you can have Shadow _all_ to yourself!" The cobalt exclaimed as he took a very firm step towards the brown hedgehog growling as he did so.

Rob quickly shoved Sonic against the wall of the base and glared deeply into his emerald eyes.

"Now listen here you little piece of shit. This is very difficult for me. To give up Shadow to someone like _you_ is practically destroying me. But I have to and I will, because I believe in my leaders. I dislike you greatly. In fact, I can even go as far as to say that I HATE your guts, but I do trust you. I will never lead you into a trap unless it's for your own good. If it was between my life and yours, I would sacrifice myself in a heartbeat." He uttered confidently and sincerely as the azure's expression changed radically.

"That's actually... very thoughtful of you, Rob. Thank you." Sonic replied stunningly as he felt somewhat warmed by the kind comment.

Someone actually trusted him. Not only that, a person who didn't like him!

"Now go. Before I change my mind!" He pointed to the inside of the lab as he placed his other hand on top of the azure's head.

"Stay safe for me, okay? If something happens to you the entire world will collapse not to mention Miran would be absolutely devastated." Rob whispered thoughtfully as he couldn't imagine the pain Shadow would be in if the sapphire hedgehog got injured.

"Mmm, don't worry Rob, I got this covered. I'm Sonic the _freakin'_ Hedgehog. I can handle a little pansy robot." The cobalt responded mockingly as he gave his typical thumbs up following it with a wink.

"I sure hope so..." Rob replied hesitantly as he didn't feel any less concerned.

Sonic gave Rob an army style solute before marching into the base ready to take on anything and everything that came near him.

"Gerald... I can't believe this stupid brat is Voziti." Rob uttered under his breath as the tears started to appear in his eyes once again.

"What am I going to do..?"


	27. Chapter 27

Shadow lied on an incredibly cold metal bed in complete annoyance as he realized how incredibly bored he was. The little azure toddler happened to practically pass out in the his arms after he decided to finally give in and snuggle his cute little face.

He rolled back and forth, helplessly desiring something to do or someone to talk to. Suddenly, a feeling of slight dread started floating in his stomach. He really was all alone right now... And he knew his subconscious would start erupting to the forefront of his mind if he didn't find some kind of activity. The thought that Čelik or Sonic would have to be killed in order to keep the world from collapsing was really testing his ability to remain calm. He needed to stop thinking about it before he had a panic attack. As he glanced over at the picture of Princess Miran, he got an interesting idea...

He walked over to the sleeping child and gently patted the top of his head before taking some of the paints and calmly strolling over to another part of the wall. He assumed because the kid was painting on it before that the Doctor didn't mind, not that Shadow really cared. Then he started to draw. No, not of people, animals or scenery but of music notes.

Slowly he drew a treble clef and five lines with spaces in-between them. He hummed gently in his head attempting to recognize what key he was in the mood for.

"How about B flat." He spoke clearly as he drew one little flat on the middle line right next to the clef.

Then he began to draw notes. First starting with C which happened to be one line below the staff and continuing to B, A, F and finally D, one space below the staff.

This was something Shadow could do practically without trying. He wasn't just talented, he was almost a living Mozart. He continued a few more measures before suspiciously glaring around the room as if he was being stared at.

"Wow... You really are like Miran. How do you just know how to do that?" Čelik's voice ejected from the cold still air as its tone accentuated pure wonder.

"How do you know how to paint like that?" Shadow queried as he pointed to the incredible work of art drawn on the other side of the wall.

"Practice?" The child countered as he shrugged in slight discontent.

"There's your answer." The charcoal hedgehog responded as he continued to hum softly in his head, causing him to create a sweet lullaby to counter the fear running through his body.

He still didn't really trust the child and wanted nothing more than to snuggle against his blue hero once again and let him whisper sweet nothings into his ear.

His face blushed as his inner thoughts sounded like a love-struck teenage girl who just went on her first date with her long desired crush. It was incredibly embarrassing and he sighed in fear that he was losing his touch. He was so used to being controlled and detached that this was almost disgusting. However, his mind ran with nothing but emotion since the azure hedgehog came into his life. Even from the beginning he sensed an odd feeling. His heart abruptly skipped a beat as his brain thought of something.

 _(Wait the Dr. said **eternal lover**... As in forever?)_ He wondered as a strong sense of warmth and acceptance engulfed his skinny, terrifyingly cold body.

"But you have to be _very_ talented to be able to write a masterpiece without trying." Čelik interrupted as he frustratingly glared at the rope of Chaos energy strapped to his leg.

"How do **you** know it's a masterpiece? You can't even read it." Shadow responded irritably as he was slightly upset with the child for disturbing his wonderful daydream.

"Then sing it to me!" The tiny blue hedgehog exploded happily as he knew all about the incredible singing talent of the princess.

Shadow's face flushed as his body became incredibly stiff. He never really liked his voice, even if it obviously had a lot of training. Most likely because of Maria. Nonetheless, he still thought it was very... _feminine_.

"Not in your lifetime kid..." He stated coldly attempting to get across the fact that he would NEVER sing.

" _Awwwwwww_... C'mon!" The child responded disappointedly, quivering his bottom lip trying to look as downright adorable as possible.

All the sudden the two were interrupted by a huge surge of explosions and bangs.

"That must be Sonic..." The ebony hedgehog stated happily as he glanced at Čelik.

"Ready to finally leave this cell, kid?" Shadow exclaimed as even he was exhilarated to leave this dark, humid and cold cell.

" **AM I EVER?!** " The kid responded excitedly as he clenched both his fists, ready to finally see the beautiful outside world.

Soon the crashes came closer as the door to the jail area came flying off and in its wake stood a particularly messy and frustrated looking blue hedgehog.

"SHADOW! ARE YOU HERE?!" He yelled desperately hoping that his rival was still alive and well.

"Sonic! Right here. _Took you long enough_ , by the way." The ebony exclaimed mockingly before noticing a small smile creep onto his own face.

As soon as he spoke a blue dash of light appeared right in front of the jail bars.

"Shadow! _Thank goodness_ you're safe. I was so worried. You're not hurt right?!" Sonic cried out urgently as he was unbelievably relieved that Shadow was alright.

"No, I'm not hurt... I mean, I'm a little hungry and cold but I've been through worse." Shadow responded before noticing how warm, sweet and submissive he sounded.

 _(Damnit, **stupid kid**. Making me look like a damsel in distress. I could have broken out of here you know. Just couldn't find a way to bring the kid with me. I guess I could have tried to leave and come back but that would have taken a lot more time. Plus, the Chaos energy surrounding the cell would have made it very dangerous to attempt Chaos Controlling when inside. I think I should be able to use it once I'm out though...)_ Shadow thought frustratedly as he noticed Sonic's change of emotion from worried to slightly mischievous.

"Don't worry. I'll getcha home with a _huge_ buffet of food and then we can have a cuddle session while discussing payment for saving your beautiful soul." He replied teasingly as he blew the ebony a sweet kiss.

"Aren't you such a _WONDERFUL_ hero... **Asshole**." The charcoal hedgehog flirted back sarcastically as he walked up to the front of the cell.

"Is IT in there?" The sapphire hedgehog asked slightly fearfully as he looked around for any buttons that would lead to the opening of the jail cell.

"It? Oh you mean Čelik. I actually wanted to talk with you about that." The ebony rested his hand behind his head as he looked over at the little toddler who happened to have his hands over his face preventing any eye contact with Sonic.

"Do you think we could take him with us? He's really well behaved and I'll make sure I keep him on a leash. The poor thing has been stuck in here ever since birth and I think if he stays in here much longer he will never be able to adapt to society." Shadow queried motherly as he looked confusingly at the young child.

 _(Why are you covering your eyes? Wait… Does it have something to do with how you **kill**?)_ The charcoal hedgehog wondered as he realized that Sonic had located the area with all the buttons.

"Shadow, that thing is obviously incredibly dangerous. We are leaving it here." Sonic replied sternly as he finally found the exact button he needed to push to free Shadow.

He made sure to not look at the creature in fear that he would trigger it. He kept his eyes glued to the panel of buttons in front of him while occasionally glancing at Shadow to make sure he was still safe.

"What?! How could you be so heartless? He's just a child, Sonic. Please no one will be hurt if he's under my surveillance." The ebony countered as the doors to the jail cell opened and the Chaos energy surrounding the cell dissipated before abruptly being enveloped in the azure's loving embrace.

 ** _(Oh… How I've missed you stupid kid.)_** He thought desperately as he squeezed the cobalt as hard as he could before being gently pushed away to continue the conversation.

"I'm not allowing any creature developed by Doctor Eggman to be set free. If he's locked in here that's a good enough reason to leave him be."

"Please…? _Look at him_." Shadow begged sadly as he pointed over to the little blue hedgehog who was sitting, silently listening to the conversation closely with his stands still taped to his eyes.

"Oh my Chaos..." Sonic practically choked on the words as his body became weak with absolute shock.

There was silence for a few seconds as his mind complete froze in fear.

"No...NO... **NO**...!" Sonic shook his head violently as the child's face teleported him back to the horrifying and traumatic event.

The cobalt's fiercely shaking body resembled that of a person who just saw their parents die right in front of them as his eyes dilated in complete turmoil.

"Sonic... **What's wrong?!** " For the first time probably ever Shadow was so concerned that he actually raised his voice.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to! Please don't kill me! I don't want to die. PLEASE!" Sonic begged instinctually as his face became drenched with tears. It was almost as if his mind no longer belonged to reality as the panic attack continued rushing through his body.

"Sonic! It's okay! _I'm right here_. Everything's okay!" Shadow yelled desperately as he held his hero tightly, hoping and praying that it was enough to calm the complete terror in his emerald eyes.

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry… I'm sorry..." The cobalt continued over and over as he rested his head on the charcoal hedgehog chest fur. His blood pressure finally crashed from the insane amount of adrenaline running through his veins as he fell over in Shadow's arms practically unable to keep himself from passing out.

 _(No... not again... Not when I'm **so** close...) _ His mind thought for only a few seconds as his ears were filled with the ebony's pleas attempting to keep him conscience. Sonic couldn't do anything. He was completely helpless. He wondered why everything had to be so difficult before once again being shoved face first into utter darkness.

 _(How could you... Doctor... How could you do this to me?)_


	28. Chapter 28

A never ending hallway stretched as far as the ebony hedgehog's incredible eyesight could register. How in the world was that even possible? The ground was relatively narrow and past it was a large abyss that looked as if it went straight down into the depths of hell itself. He heard quick footsteps rushing down the hallway as he immediately prepared himself for the worst. He tightly closed his eyes assuming that whoever was coming for him was going to end his life. However, he was surprised to feel a very strong hand grasp his own as whimpering filled his fearful ears.

"Shadow…. He's coming for me! **Please help me!** " An azure hedgehog desperately shook the ebony's shoulder with his other hand as his face expressed complete fear and panic.

" _Who_ Sonic? Who is coming for you?!" Shadow responded sternly as he looked very deeply into Sonic's teary emerald eyes.

"Please, don't let him get me…. Please!" Sonic erupted as he wrapped his arms tightly around the charcoal hedgehog, shaking dreadfully in absolute terror.

Abruptly, a dark blurry image came into view from far down the hallway, slowly inching towards the two frightful hedgehogs. Shadow found it practically impossible to explain. But it seemed to look like a long floating cloak with a pitch dark face, almost as if it was made of pure darkness instead of skin. Whatever it was, Shadow knew it had the ability to end Sonic's life and most likely his as well, if it caught up to them. He quickly tightened his grip on the azure's hand, pulling him in the opposite direction.

"Don't worry, it **won't** get to us. I will die of exhaustion before I give you up!" He exclaimed before slowly guiding the sapphire hedgehog down the hallway.

He realized how incredibly weak his legs felt after only a few steps. Walking quickly was nearly unbearable and his mind flew into a complete panic when he realized he'd lost control over his own body.

"It's going to catch up! **Hurry!** " Sonic responded urgently as he followed closely behind the charcoal hedgehog.

"I'm trying as hard as I can. My feet aren't working like they usually do…" Shadow responded hopelessly as he became increasingly frustrated with every step he took.

"Shadow… What's wrong? Are you hurt?" The sapphire hedgehog asked worriedly as the ebony glanced back at him with a look of complete despair.

He couldn't figure out exactly why this was taking so much energy. It was like walking through cement as he struggled to continue moving his legs.

"Shadow… I love you..." The cobalt admitted tenderly as he yanked on the charcoal hedgehog's arm, pulling him as close as possible, his eyes glimmering with slight acceptance.

The love and admiration put into those three special words made tears start to fill the charcoal hedgehog's eyes as the cloak figure continued to move closer, ever so slowly catching up. He felt completely helpless as the cobalt prevented him from progressing.

"What are you doing?! We **have** to keep moving,  hurry!" The ebony replied urgently as he firmly pulled on Sonic's arm, commending him to continue.

"Shadow…" The sapphire hedgehog uttered softly as he placed his hand caringly on the ebony's cheek.

" _It's okay_ …" He whispered lovingly into Shadow's ear as he gently pushed his forehead against the ebony's, looking as deeply as he could into his terrified crimson eyes.

"Relax… It's alright. Everything's alright." Sonic mumbled sweetly as he tenderly stroked the ebony's quills.

"Sonic please… Don't do this… I **CAN'T** live without you! I can't lose you… Not after everything we've been through. I… I…" Shadow stuttered fearfully as his own body began to shake in dread.

The figure was still reasonably far away but much closer than before as Shadow frantically wrapped his arms around the azure hedgehog's back. Tears also flowed from his eyes as he realized the inevitable. If he kept running in complete terror, eventually the thing would catch up. _What was the point of even trying…?_

"Shadow… It will reach us, eventually. So why not enjoy the time we have together instead of running away blindly in fear. Someday… It **will** take me and most likely you. But until then…" The azure uttered softly as he gave the ebony hedgehog a soft kiss on the forehead.

"Let me make you happy…" He continued amorously before walking to the side of the charcoal hedgehog and reaching out his hand.

"You stupid kid. You already make me happy. Happier then I could **ever** imagine…" Shadow responded calmly before passively taking his hand.

"Then let's keep walking… Only calmer this time. If we just stop then we're giving up. Let it come to us, but keep moving forward. There's no need to be afraid of the inevitable outcome of our lives." He replied soothingly as he started to walk alongside the ebony down the hallway.

Hastily, Shadow wrapped his arms tightly around the azures arm before burying his face into it as they continued to slowly stroll down the corridor. He glanced behind at the creature following them, noticing it was closer. But Shadow felt fear be replaced with anger as he realized how much time he had wasted. He could have been spending time loving this man he was supposedly supposed to be with since the beginning. Instead, he was pushing him away in an attempt to not face any more pain. How foolish he felt as the words seemed easier to say than ever.

"I love you… Sonic."

* * *

Shadow's eyes shot open as he quickly propelled his head off the bed to look at the azure hedgehog. He was watching over him after he had Chaos controlled them both to safety and unfortunately fell asleep after using a good portion of his limited energy. He looked around in awe as he remembered how absolutely breathtaking this room was with only the highest quality furniture. He'd forgot how unbelievable Sonic's house was and this wasn't even the best suite. The cobalt hedgehog's master bedroom was slightly more childish and bright blue for that matter. He really has absolutely no taste does he?

As the ebony finally completely woke up, he quickly placed his hand over his own forehead and wiped off the copious amounts of sweat. That nightmare left an odd sense of dread in his heart. A kind of dread he had difficulty explaining. He had a hard time remembering exactly what it was about, only that it was horrible. As he glanced over at the cobalt he had an incredible urge to hold him as if he would never see him again... Instead, he placed a solitary kiss on the resting sapphire's forehead before softly placing his hand on top of his head.

 _(What the hell happened? Another horrible nightmare? They just never stop...)_ He thought as Sonic rolled over and snuggled against his soft furry chest.

He felt chillingly cold and the ebony hedgehog couldn't help but encase his arms around him, pulling him even closer.

"You scared the living **shit** out of me... I thought you were dying. Because of that, I had to leave Čelik behind. What in the world happened to you to cause such a  horrible reaction?" He uttered softly and slightly worriedly as he slid his thumb over the azure's cheek.

Something about the way he looked so weak and feeble made Shadow wonder exactly what happened that day to make Sonic, as **he** put it, _an animal_. Probably something revolving around bloodshed. Speaking of death, Sonic never really gave any information regarding family members.

 _(Did they also pass away? Not to mention the fact he is the only blue hedgehog in this town... So I think I would be able to tell pretty easily who his parents were... Does he even have any? I mean he must, he was born on this planet right?)_ The ebony wondered as he heard a hopeless cry come from the cobalt's mouth.

"Guess I was wrong when I said Čelik had it rougher. You probably went through hell and back to become who you are today. _Forgive me_ for being so judgmental." Shadow admitted lovingly as he desperately wanted to touch him in hopes it might help him feel a little more relaxed.

It was odd how strong the desire was and he assumed since the azure was dead asleep that it wouldn't wake him. He slipped off his glove and placed it back on the sapphire hedgehog's cold fearful face.

He felt a warm tingle at his fingertips as Sonic's cries of fear and regret ceased almost immediately. His limp, freezing body seemed to enjoy the immense comfort as it started to lay peacefully on the bed. Shadow wasn't sure exactly what he was doing but whatever it was the sapphire hedgehog seemed a bit more tranquil. So he remained dormant, allowing himself to also enjoy the warm secure feeling of finally being able to touch him. However, after a few minutes he started to notice the azure's increasingly irritated and erratic movements and removed his hand quickly in fear that he was somehow hurting him.

Sonic's eyes quickly jetted open, exposing incredibly dilated emerald eyes. It was almost as if he was trying to see into the future with how large his pupils were.

"So you're finally up sleeping beauty... Is something _wrong_?" Shadow looked worriedly into his frightened eyes as he gently placed his hand on the top of the azure's head carefully slipping his surprisingly soft quills between his ungloved fingers.

It was almost an entirely new sensation. His body was instantly filled with unexplainable cravings as his tail perked up in excitement. Never in his life had he been so aroused and Sonic didn't even do anything. Just the feel of his slick pointy quills was enough to send shivers down his spine. He was amazed that he remained controlled as the cobalt continued to stare down at the bed in regret.

"Everything is wrong... Just _everything_." He held his head in shame as he wrapped his arms around his body attempting to protect himself from the psychological pain.

"Woah now... Okay okay. Calm down, he's not here anymore." Shadow comforted as he gently patted the sapphire hedgehog's shoulder hoping to create some level of intimacy.

"He will kill everything... No one is safe." Sonic gently placed his head on the ebony hedgehog's shoulder and Shadow didn't even need to be told to hold him as close as possible.

Strangely that warm sensation he normally felt was replaced with cold and fearful regret. He gently pushed his hand behind the azure hedgehog's head as he placed his mouth near his ear.

"What are you going on about? Everyone is okay... I'm okay. You're okay. Tails, Rouge, Knuckles and Rob are in the living room and they're okay. _We're_ okay." He whispered thoughtfully and calmly, striving to relax the cobalt's fearful mind.

He hated not being able to help. As a matter of fact, he absolutely loathed it and almost felt willing to give the sapphire hedgehog any kind of comfort he desired. His face soon blushed dark purple as his tail once again perked up in excitement.

 _(NO! I will not give into these stupid desires. The last thing Sonic needs right now is a perverted old man attempting to seduce him. I will do everything in my power to keep him safe in his time of turmoil, even from myself...)_

"You don't get it, do you?" He forcefully pushed the ebony away before grabbing his shoulders and looking very sternly into his shocked crimson eyes.

"Sonic, listen to yourself. You're having delusions. Take a few deep breaths and try to think clearly." He responded as he pushed his face close to cobalt's and attempted to do whatever he did before to stop Sonic's cries.

"I _killed_ and so will he." The sapphire hedgehog admitted. Feeling a bit safer as a comfortable energy tingled through his body.

" **What?** " The ebony responded as his eyes lit up with absolute shock.

"Promise me that you won't tell anyone." The azure begged desperately before watching Shadow nod back in curiosity and slight hesitation.

"When I was very young... Like around four... I brutally murdered five Mobians... I'm not sure if they deserved to die or what but I did nonetheless. I remember absolutely nothing before that... If that _thing_ is anything close to the demonic entity sitting before you, then our little town is doomed." Sonic once again looked down at the bed in repent as he placed his hands over his mouth and fearfully nibbled on his glove.

"Sonic... You're _not_ a demonic entity..." Shadow replied sweetly and confidently as he sneakily slipped his glove back on before placing his hand on his shoulder.

"Look at all the good you've done. The people you've saved. You're a wonderful person." Shadow admitted honorably as even he was surprised how honest he was being.

Usually he was terrified of showing weakness. But right now, it seemed like it was the only way to comfort Sonic. However, his intense dark stare did not seem to cease as he didn't feel satisfied with the statement.

"It's not up to what we do. It is who we are born as." He replied hopelessly as if to say that there was no hope for someone born without the ability to feel for others.

 _(Wow... He DOES sound like_ Čelik _… Is this the real him? So the question remains. Do I still love him?)_

Shadow's body heated up as he thought of the word love. The look in Sonic's scarred slightly daring jade eyes made him really question his feelings. He sorted through every emotion he felt and after really thinking about it for quite some time, realized that no matter what feeling he examined, he never sensed that Sonic would ever harm him. This was a major difference between him and Čelik. He feared the child would destroy him at any minute when they were alone and when it came to his _rival_ all he felt was safety. Why? Was it because Sonic knew? He understood that he had issues and tried to at least deal with them.

 _(Does he try for the Princess…?)_

 _( **For me**?) _ He wondered as his face became instantly red with embarrassment.  
 **  
...**

 _(I don't care...)_ He thought as he placed his hand under Sonic's chin before giving him a very loving look.

 _(I still...)_ He pulled him closer and shockingly the cobalt's emerald eyes were back to being expressive and happy.

 _(Love him… More than anyone. More than anything...)_ He then planted a soft loving kiss on his peach lips as he closed his eyes in complete bliss.

For only a second they were incredibly cold but he loved the feeling of them warming up against his own. It gave the ebony that welcoming comfort he missed so desperately while he was in the jail cell. Slowly, Sonic's body relaxed as he softly placed his palm over Shadow's face. Then they just sat there, not really wanting anything more than this one simple sensation. So pure and vibrant… Strong and secure.

Everything both hedgehog's craved for ever since they were parted...


	29. Chapter 29

The romantic atmosphere blossomed as two love-struck hedgehogs were seen frantically snuggling on one of the comfiest beds the ebony had ever lied on. And when i mean frantically, I MEAN FRANTICALLY. The cobalt was squeezing the charcoal hedgehog so tight that Shadow thought he might pass out from lack of oxygen. But he had no right to complain because he was holding him unbearably close as well. The closer they were the safer he felt. And after a few more minutes, he realized he couldn't take it anymore. Not only was he desperate for air but something about this energy that passed between them when they were near was making his body unbelievably hot. He gently pushed the sapphire hedgehog away as the coldness of bedroom caught him off guard, causing him to shiver in the process.

"Sooooo, gonna tell me how ya feel, my ebony beauty?" The azure requested mischievously as he gently stroked the charcoal hedgehog's warm cheek.

"Technically, I don't _have_ to because I saved **YOU**. Meaning you have to do what I say. And I want to keep my mouth shut." The ebony replied, slightly irritated with the cobalt's mocking tone of voice.

"Hmph, why you gotta be so harsh shads? Do you have any idea how much trouble I went through to locate you? I mentally traumatized Tails and almost murdered Knuckles. I still think I deserve an answer... It's not about the destination, it's the adventure." The azure responded as a slight smile creeped onto his face before he gently poked the ebony's silky soft stomach.

"When did you become so _wise_? You're growing up way too fast for more liking." Shadow replied playfully as he gently grabbed Sonic's hand and pushed it against his stomach.

He gave the cobalt hedgehog a little wink and was surprised to see his face explode bright red. He wasn't quite used to the ebony not rejecting him right off the bat. His eyes showed slight confusion with a hint of happiness before realizing he had been staring straight at the charcoal hedgehog for about five minutes. It was odd, Shadow didn't seem to mind... As a matter of fact, he thoroughly enjoyed the silence. It gave him time to really appreciate how unique this situation was.

"I **must**... For my beautiful princess deserves it." Sonic replied cleverly as he gently pet the ebony's torso.

"Oh god... _Stop,_ before I vomit rainbows and unicorns." Shadow countered teasingly as he became slightly embarrassed for letting himself get so mushy and romantic.

"What did rainbows and unicorns ever do to you? Last time I checked, you did have that cute little pony sculpture thing in your bedroom." The sapphire hedgehog responded mockingly as he bent down and gave Shadow's stomach a little peck.

"That is a work of **art**! Not proof that I am a girly submissive drama queen." Shadow replied irritably as he awkwardly shoved the cobalt off his body, causing him to fly to the other end of the bed.

"Aww but that's what I love most about you. When you blush and give me those loving-irresistible-passive eyes, I practically melt." The azure whispered sweetly as he started slowly crawling on his hands and feet towards the embarrassed ebony hedgehog.

"Didn't I just tell you to _stop_ with the romantic stuff? I'm still mad at you for forcing me to Chaos control, you know. You're _lucky_ I didn't die of lack of energy." He responded sternly as he glared coldly at the cobalt, emphasizing that he was no longer in the mood for his over sappy bull.

"I'll give ya that one. I'm sorry you had to do that. _It's just_..." The sapphire hedgehog replied as he continued to crawl closer before flashing shameful eyes at the ebony's harsh face.

"I know, I know. Let's not talk about it. I don't want you having another mental breakdown." Shadow uttered soothingly as he felt a tad sympathetic that the azure had to relive whatever horrible event he had suffered from when he was a child.

"At least you're safe... Away from that **abomination**." Sonic replied disgracefully as he crawled into the ebony's lap before wrapping himself into a little furry blue ball.

"How do you know that? You never even spoke to him." Shadow uttered firmly as he gently pat the top of the azure's head.

"Because I know _myself_ better than anyone..." He responded sadly as he rubbed his slightly teary eyes against the charcoal hedgehog's leg.

"Sonic... Didn't I just say you're **NOT** a disgrace? You're a very talented hero with a lot of charm and charisma..." Shadow gently grabbed the sapphire hedgehog's waist and flipped him over so that his face was staring straight up at the ebony hedgehog.

Sonic continued to lay in his lap as he stared straight up at his magnificent ruby eyes before glancing to the side distressfully. He let out an utterly hopeless sigh as he felt like not even his _eternal lover_ understood how he felt about the situation.

"You don't get it... Neither does Tails or anyone..." He shook his head left and right before glancing down at the bed. Too ashamed to look at the beautiful eyes of his _rival_ any longer.

"You expect me to trust you when you don't even trust me?" Shadow replied gently, very frustrated that the azure was being so unbelievably persistent.

"I do trust you but you weren't there... You didn't see what I saw Shadow. And until you do, you won't understand anything." Sonic whispered as he sat up in the ebony's lap and started to crawl to another side of the bed. Feeling that he didn't deserve affection of any kind, especially not Shadow's.

"I can remember a certain hedgehog reminding me constantly that there's no point in worrying about the past. You have done more than enough to prove to me and everyone else that you're not that person any longer. And you should learn to accept that." The charcoal hedgehog countered comfortingly as the immediately wrapped his arms around Sonic from behind.

Oddly enough, the sapphire hedgehog struggled a little, which for Shadow was a bit of a surprise. He was so used to the stupid kid embracing him back without a single thought but this ashamed dark Sonic made him almost seem fearful and submissive. How interesting...

Finally, after a half a minute or so, he completely gave in and tightly gripped the ebony's hand.

"Who **do** you see me as then, Shads?" The cobalt hedgehog questioned slightly teasingly as he turned his head and gave the ebony a confident stare indicating him taking back the dominant role.

There was quite a long pause as Shadow's face returned back to its soft, passive features. His mouth wouldn't dare vocalize the response lying deep inside his heart as the relief of Sonic going back to his dominant self somewhat comforted his mind. He never really liked being assertive or harsh. Deep down inside, he really just wanted to be loved for the kind, submissive, gentle man he really was and it looked as if Sonic did...

 ** _(Mine... I see you as mine, Sonic.)_**


	30. Chapter 30

"Ooo... Whatcha thinkin' bout, Shadz? Is it something _naughty_...?" The cobalt hedgehog requested teasingly as he gave him a flirtatious and arrogant wink.

The ebony had his slightly seductive eyes on and the cobalt could tell instantly. He watched the charcoal hedgehog shuffle on the bed in an awkward manner as he attempted to come back to reality.

"Like I'd **EVER** tell you!" Shadow replied uncomfortably as he glared up at the ceiling in slight embarrassment.

Immediately, he felt his body be forcefully pushed downward, practically knocking the air right out of his lungs. Sonic, now lying on top, stared down at his _rival_ with only one desire glimmering in his now perverted emerald eyes. Ever so gently, he pressed his body against Shadow's causing a soft weak moan to escape the ebony's lips before pushing his mouth close to the his soft warm ears. 

"Oh cmon. That's what lovers dooo. They tell each other their _inner_ desires and secrets." He whispered seductively and protectively before giving his ear a gentle kiss.

Shadow squirmed frustratingly as his body began to rapidly heat up. Something about the way Sonic knew exactly how to make him weak but at the same time so unbelievably safe, always got to him. It was indeed exactly what his heart had always wanted. A gentle, strong, confident, egotistical little brat opening him up and healing his fearful heart.

There was once again complete silence as the sound of shallow breathing fluttered through the room. This was about when Shadow realized he was once again, completely drowning in the enticing feeling.

" _Woah woah woah_. Who said I was your  lover?" The ebony countered hesitantly as he put his hands on the cobalt hedgehog's chest, gently pushing against him.

He didn't want the kissing and touching stuff to go any farther than it already had, especially when he wasn't used to this entire eternal lover thing. The fact that Sonic adored him heck liked him at all, was enough to make his body flush with slight fear. He didn't want to take it too fast even though he knew the sapphire hedgehog wanted nothing but speed.

"Your lips, _duh_." Sonic responded charismatically before softly kissing the ebony's forehead.

"For clarification, were not together... Yet." Shadow replied shyly as this sudden show of complete admiration and protection caught him completely off guard.

"Well ya know what. You don't have much of a choice because I'm Voziti and your Miran. We were born to be together. So stop being a chicken pansy and love me already." The azure exclaimed teasingly as he pushed his body against the ebony's harder before sneakily sliding his finger down his arm.

"A bit pushy today, _are we_?" Shadow responded mockingly as he once again became slightly too comfortable with the cobalt's aggressive tone.

"You like it forceful... And you know it." Sonic murmured straight into the charcoal hedgehog's ear as the assuring, protective tone made the charcoal hedgehog feel an overwhelming sense of ease.

"Hmm... Maybe just a little tiny bit." The ebony responded cutely as a slight giggle slipped from his lips.

He pinched the tip of the azure hedgehog's ear before twisting it playfully. He knew he needed to be careful but once again, every part of his body wanted to accept the sapphire hedgehog's dominant, loving attitude. This made him feel incredibly dependent as he wanted to spend every waking second as close to his rival as possible.

 _(Damnit! Am I becoming a woman or something?)_ He wondered frustratedly as he could see the sapphire hedgehog's tail move back in forth with excitement.

"Don't get **too** enthusiastic now... Wouldn't want you to be disappointed,  now would we?" Shadow spoke sarcastically and yet somewhat sternly as he shoved the azure completely off his body.

"One day you will be my first and it will be the best night of my life..." Sonic replied lovingly as he glanced down bashfully.

Shadow's face immediately glowed pink as he almost choked on his spit in surprise.

"A bit too forward?" The cobalt continued as he gave the ebony a quick, self-assured smirk.

"I'd say... _Geez_." The charcoal hedgehog responded as he wiggled somewhat awkwardly as the image of the event tortured his poor mind, fueling his body with temptation.

Thankfully, a knock on the door interrupted the awkward atmosphere as the two hedgehog's scrambled to move into less suspicious positions.

The door opened quickly as a brunet hedgehog stood with two plates of food. One with chicken and mashed potatoes and the other a giant juicy chili dog.

Sonic's face became lively as if he was witnessing the birth of a unicorn or something. He reached out to the beautiful sight, desperate for one of his favorite things in the entire world... Besides Shadow of course.

"Oh, Rob it's just you. Thanks for the food." The ebony uttered calmly as he noticed the immediate relief in his body when he laid his eyes on the stunning and skinny chocolate colored hedgehog.

Honestly, Rob was probably his most trusted friend. The one person he could come crying to without fear and the one person he could be honest with without any chance of denial or rejection. It was an odd friendship, both knew how close they were and yet never really wanted a relationship. In Shadow's opinion, the no strings attached approach was one of the best things he'd ever done. There was no fear of losing their closeness... At least until now.

The charcoal hedgehog took a second to really look at his only true friend as his eyes glimmered with much tribulation and pain. Whatever was going on must be really affecting him. However, he knew if Rob wanted to talk about it, he would.

"No problem. Better give it to the peasant fast before he starts **_devouring_** you." He replied weakly as he attempted to use his acting skills to the best of his ability.

A smile erupted from his face as the look of feebleness vanished. Shadow almost wanted to vomit in response. Seeing Rob fake a smile was one of the most sickening things he had ever witnessed.

 _(Why won't he tell me? Why won't he just tell me what's going on instead of pretending? Does it have to do with Sonic? Did I do something to hurt him?!)_

"Rob, are you okay? You look a bit tired..." Shadow responded gently as he attempted to be a gatekeeper of sorts and give the brunet hedgehog an opportunity to break down and admit what was going on.

"I'm fine. Some things popped up at the studio and I've been worked _practically_ to death. No need to be worried though, I'll live." He lied, not fooling the charcoal hedgehog for a second.

It hurt... It hurt so much. Rob didn't want to talk to him. Usually he was _so_ open that the ebony would learn so much information that it would make his brain hurt... But this... This was disgusting, revolting even. Shadow knew he probably wouldn't say anything while Sonic was around but he could've at least told him that they needed to talk or that he wanted to communicate in private. Didn't he hate the azure hedgehog enough to do that? Why was he trying so hard to keep Sonic calm and happy? Why was he doing everything in his power to not get in the way of their _relationship_?!

 _(Does he... fear him too...?)_

"Oh... I understand. I'm here, if you need me." Shadow uttered in a supporting tone as he flashed a soft, subtle smile at Rob.

Sonic's ears immediately went down in slight anger.

"I know, Shadow. You always have been..." Rob uttered weakly in an almost heartbroken manner.

He usually loved the ebony's attention but right now all he wanted was to be completely rejected so he could get over this horrible event as fast as possible.

"And always **will** be..." Shadow added soothingly as the azure glared at him irritably but was surprised to see the darkest scowl he had ever seen on his face in response.

He quickly stopped in fear that he actually offended him. Not to mention the fact that he wanted his food really badly.

"Sonic thank him for bringing _you_ food!" The charcoal hedgehog exclaimed as he gently nudged the cobalt's arm.

"Thank you, Roberto. It looks amazing." He responded plainly as him and Shadow were handed their plates.

Sonic started shoving it down his throat almost immediately as the ebony glared at him in slight annoyance.

 _(Slow down. Were you raised in a barn you little twerp!?)_

"I'll leave you two alone now. Oh and Shadow." He articulated cutely as he turned around and started walking towards the door.

"Hmm?" Shadow responded as he quickly raised his eyebrows when the brunet hedgehog turned around and flashed very flirtatious eyes.

"He likes it **rough**." Rob continued as he turned his head to stare seductively at the ebony's before opening the door to leave.

"HOW THE HELL WOULD YOU KNOW?!" Shadow replied embarrassingly as he flushed red and his body was once again fueled with temptation.

Rob exited the room chuckling as he quickly closed the door behind him before falling to his knees.

"How the _hell_ am I going to do this...?" He spoke feebly as he wiped a single tear from his cheek.

He was now in the largest _lobby_ as they put it. Which could be defined as the main entrance. The area was connected with all different winding rooms to the left and right and a HUGE staircase in the middle. It was absolutely breathtaking and had the mark of a very talented architect and interior designer all over it. It was filled with beautiful high-end classic almost french style furniture. But Rob didn't have much time to admire the beauty of the area as his mind was concentrating too much on the difficulty of the situation.

Tails was heard rustling in the kitchen as he groaned occasionally from his inability to find anything with how large it was. Rouge was sitting in one of the many seating areas with a book and Knuckles was seen lying lazily on the couch in one of the family rooms. Rob let out an annoyed sighed a Rouge's ear immediately picked up the sound of distress.

"Everything okay, baby boy?" Rouge asked worriedly as she attempted to comfort the hopeless hedgehog by walking over to him and gently patting his shoulder.

"Ya ya. Just mentally exhausted. I need a little time to get used to this." He replied calmingly before giving the beautiful bat a slight smile.

Him and Rouge got along quite well even though they hadn't known each other that long. Shadow introduced them about a month ago and ever since then, he strangely enjoyed her company. She always seemed to understand what it was like being appreciated for only looks even though there was obviously a lot more to both of them.

"It's your fault, ya know. The rules **clearly** state that you aren't supposed to provoke the development of the royal family." Knuckles replied smugly as everyone glared at him in revolt while his body was resting confidently on the couch.

"And you don't _love_ your Master Emerald, Knuckie?" Rouge asked sarcastically as she sternly walked over to the echidna before glaring down at him in incredible frustration. 

_(You'll only make him feel worse, you stupid ape.)_

"Well, I mean! **NO** of course not?!" Knuckles stuttered as he placed his hands in front of his chest waving them rapidly, implying that wasn't what he meant at all.

The entire room burst into laughter as the crimson echidna hid his face in complete embarrassment.

"So Rob how long have you known Shadow?" Tails asked curiously as he handed the tired looking hedgehog a cup of blazing hot tea.

"For a very long time." He sighed in slight heartbreak as he knew he couldn't give any more information than that.

"That doesn't _really_ answer my question..." Tails responded impatiently as he felt slightly disrespected with Rob's reply.

Abruptly a little robot with a television attached to it flew into the living room through an open window.

"The hell?" Knuckles asked frustratingly as he pressed the little button that said PUSH ME.

"Hello heros! I wanted to give that little walking pin cushion a personal invitation to a battle at my lab that he so carelessly destroyed. He will be fighting my latest and proudest creation! As you all have probably been notified, or not. Two Prince Vozitis cannot exist on the planet for long before everything goes to shit and..." He quickly walked over behind the camera and yanked an arm until he was in front of the camera.

Everyone gasped as the creature standing before them looked like an exact clone of Sonic only much smaller and more demonic looking. 

"Look who he'll be battling~ **HOO HOO I REALLY AM A GENIUS MASTERMIND! HOOOHOOHOOOHAHAHA!** " Eggman laughed maniacally before starting to choke on his own chuckles as Čelikgave him the look of absolute disgust.

"As you can see, this is the new and improved Metal Sonic. He is as close to a replica as humanly possible making him also Prince Voziti! So Sonic, unfortunately _my dear friend_ , you don't have much of a choice in the matter. Unless you want to see the world collapse before your feet. Not to mention you won't have your dear princess all to yourself! I am expecting your response in two weeks or less. I will leave this little robot there so you may re-watch this as many times as your little puny heart desires. Čelik why don't you say goodbye for me?" The evil scientist continued as he softly pat the tiny azures back implying that he didn't have a choice in the mater.

"I am looking forward to our battle. Please do not take Shadow with you. We both do not want him becoming injured. Have a good rest of your day." He replied plainly as he gave a very insincere nod.

"So formal Čelik, I see our training has really been paying off but don't worry. You won't have to pretend when that rat approaches you. Show him absolutely no mercy and don't forget to make him suffer for as long as possible before you finally end his life."

"Will do… Dr. Robotnik." The child responded clearly as the tv turned off. 

Everyone turned to Rob, staring in complete confusion as his face began to express utter panic.

 **"WHAT HAVE I DONE?! HOW COULD I HAVE SCREWED UP THIS BADLY?!"  
**


	31. Chapter 31

Suddenly, the rustling of sheets could be heard in the bedroom. The brunet hedgehog sighed in frustration as he assumed they were already at it. It was completely natural for the prince and the princess to get a tad _close_ , as it were. But it was still mildly irritating. He quickly put his ear against the door to confirm his suspicions.

"Sonic… _No_... **Not now**. Your friends are out there.  They will hear us..." Shadow uttered in a slightly embarrassed and weak tone.

"Oh c'mon… This is what lovers _doooooo_." Sonic replied cutely as the rustling of sheets continued.

"I said we're not together... Yet. Off me! **NOW**." The ebony countered, attempting to sound confident and serious.

"Still playing hard-to-get are we? Don't worry, I know _exactly_ how to break through your walls." The cobalt speedster whispered softly as a hopeless sigh escaped the charcoal hedgehog's mouth.

"No…. _Not there_ … Sonic. **Stop**... Please..." Shadow begged as delicate desperate moans reverberated through the room with each word growing more helpless and feeble.

Rob's face became furious as he was not in the mood to deal with the azure's pushy bullshit today. He forcefully grabbed the door handle and ramming it open as both their startled reactions somewhat amused him. Sonic's face happened to be deeply buried in the ebony's crotch as he turned his head around to glare at the chocolate colored hedgehog in complete revulsion.

"Must you ALWAYS interrupt us?! I was getting somewhere dammit." The cobalt exclaimed as he turned his body around to face the brunet before crossing his arms childishly.

"Must you **ALWAYS** be a pushy asshole without a single care for Shadow's feelings or opinions!?" Rob countered as he bagged his fist against the door in complete frustration.

He didn't care if Voziti was one of the most powerful creatures in the world. He was going to protect Shadow at all costs even if he was risking his own life. He was his protector after all and he was tired of feeling like a scared little puppy when Sonic raised his voice even though he was taught to be VERY afraid.

"What the _hell_ are you talking about?! Shadow started it and then he pussied out." Sonic countered indignantly as his eyes glared protectively at the submissive ebony hedgehog.

"I told you, it was an accident… I merely lost control for a second." Shadow mumbled passively as he glanced to the side before gently pushing the aggressive azure off his body.

"You should lose _control_ more often so that you can finally be **mine**!" The cobalt roared mockingly before forcefully wrapping his arms tightly around the charcoal hedgehog.

"Why are you yelling at me?! I never said I wasn't, imprudent faker! Why must you be so damn protective all the time?" The ebony replied furiously as he vigorously shoved the sapphire hedgehog straight off the bed, causing him to collide with Rob.

"Boys, boys. Let's try and talk this through calmly. Rob what did you do?" Rouge yelled from outside the room before waltzing in with her typical sweet face.

"I merely stopped that peasant from **raping** my princess." Rob exclaimed ferociously as he shoved his elbow into the azures stomach, quickly knocking him to his knees.

"Oh **YOUR** princess! I see how it is. Listen pall just because you're his _guardian_ doesn't mean you have to get in my way.  He's mine. Get over it already!" Sonic spat back as he stood to his feet before forcefully shoving the brunet against the wall and hissing manically.

 **" _EVERYONE SHUT UP!_ "** Shadow belted loudly, using every inch of his diaphragm to project, causing the immediate silence of everyone in the area.

"I DO NOT BELONG TO **ANYONE**. I am my own man and to be honest both your attitudes towards the matter is very  embarrassing. This is the modern age, damn it. I deserve to be respected and not treated like property!" He continued sternly as he glared at both of them in complete disgust.

"Shadow that's not what we…" Rob and Sonic replied sadly as the stare only intensified. The charcoal hedgehog leaped off the bed before erratically walking out the door.

Rouge reached out the ebony attempting to grab his arm. She was quickly rejected by a slap to the wrist as a few tears were seen trickling down his cheeks. He abruptly ran past Tails and Knuckles, who looked at him alarmingly, before locking himself in one of many bathrooms. He didn't understand why he felt so emotional... All he knew, is that he needed a good cry. Just one and it would be enough. All this stress and confusion was becoming too much for his mind to handle. If anything, he just wanted everything to stay exactly the same. For life to remain constant and uninteresting with no surprises, good or bad. But that was not realistic and he knew that life would eventually become challenging or even scary... Tears erupted from his eyes as he backed himself against the bathroom wall before plopping on the ground. As he sat, he started slowly remembering the nightmare he had. He knew he loved Sonic. That was obvious. But was he really _that_ scared of losing him? Or was there something else really bothering him... Then it hit him. The cloaked man wasn't just coming to take away Sonic, it was also coming to get him... He was undoubtedly afraid of being torn away from the only people who actually cared for him... He wiped his tear-filled eyes with his glove as he noticed the mirror right in front of him. His reflection looked so weak and hopeless and for once showed the actual feelings inside his heart... Again, how could he have lost control  THIS badly? He started to really think about exactly how he was going to get Sonic out of this situation. He was incredibly afraid that if he told, the azure would run blindly into battle without any thought of the ramifications. Čelik could probably kill him relatively easily too... What was he going to do...?

A knock abruptly interrupted his thoughts as he cleared his throat, preparing his response.

"Hay Shadow... Baby? I know you're going through a tough time right now. But if you need any support, I got your back. You know _men_ just as well as I do. They have a tendency to be overprotective pigs. However, you can always talk to me. I understand how you feel. Being treated like an object is really difficult." A young bat's voice comforted gently.

"Rouge... It's not that. It's everything else. Rob isn't even making eye contact with me anymore... And Sonic is acting like a jerk to him when he's obviously going through some kind of hardship. Do you have **any** idea what happened?" He responded softly as his voice sounded completely drained of energy.

"Well honey, it's kind of his fault. Rob's job is to protect you. He wasn't allowed to fall in love but he did. That's why he's so upset." She replied calmingly as she gave another soft subtle knock, implying she wanted to be let in.

"What do you mean **HIS** job?" The ebony inquired bewilderedly as he sharply stood in slight fear of what the response might be.

"He knew you were Miran, sweetie... because he's your protector and Guardian..." She added matter-of-factly, assuming that Shadow already knew the basic information.

There was utter silence as Rouge became increasingly concerned that she may have enraged him so much that he became speechless. Suddenly, the door opened as Shadow came dashing out in widespread panic.

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU MEAN HE KNEW I WAS MIRAN?!" 


	32. Chapter 32

Rouge gave a rather drawn-out explanation about guardians and their jobs and the rules regarding being a protector. Rob seemed to have given everyone a lengthy description except to the two people who **really** needed to know. Shadow sat on the couch slowly nodding as he was only understanding about half the information given to him. Still drowned in slight confusion, he saw the sapphire hedgehog walk out of the bedroom and into the kitchen, being absolutely positive he didn't make eye contact with the ebony.

"I think a certain _princess_ deserves an apology, don't you?" Rouge asked mockingly as she sternly stared at the azure's uninterested face.

He reacted by turning around and glaring back before turning back to face the kitchen.

"Really? You're going to ignore him after you made him **cry**? _That's really low_ , Sonic." She added scornfully as she gently patted the charcoal hedgehog's head in an attempt to comfort him.

Shadow gently pushed her hand off him as he wasn't really comfortable with being touched by anyone but Sonic and even that sometimes felt uncomfortable. However, this action seemed to cause the reaction Rouge was hoping for as the cobalt's face changed to slightly protective when he realized that he might have actually hurt his lovely ebony beauty.

" **You were crying because of what I said, Shadow?!** " Sonic bellowed worriedly before dashing over to him and sitting on the ground right in front of the couch before grabbing both his hands.

Shadow's face exploded red as he vigorously shook his head left and right. He quickly signaled for Rouge to leave them alone for a bit as she gave a slightly flirtatious smile before walking out of the beautiful mansion to take a look at the stunning garden in the back. When Shadow was certain they were alone, he let down his defenses a little before continuing the conversation.

"No, no, no. It's not because of you, _mostly_. I'm just thoroughly overwhelmed with everything that's been happening. I'm trying to figure out what to do about this hole I've dug myself." He admitted passively before sighing in slight frustration.

"Shadow... You haven't dug yourself a hole. This entire _creating-a-perfect-world_ thing means absolutely nothing to me. I mean yes, I would **love** to spend the rest of my days with you trying to accomplish that. However, if it's too much, we can live a normal happy life with as many kids as your heart desires, a little cottage with a picket fence and anything else you want." He comforted whole-heartedly as the cheesiest smile appeared on his muzzle causing the Shadow to glance to the side in embarrassment.

 _(Why must you be so damn charismatic and know exactly what my heart wants you to say. It's incredibly irritating...)_

"You're already talking about kids?! We're not even together yet. And who said I liked picket fences? That's so 1950's... If anything, I want a Chinese garden in the backyard." He replied awkwardly, attempting to keep himself controlled by mocking the azure's overdramatized concepts of love.

It seemed completely ineffective as Sonic gave him an egotistical wink as if to say that he knew exactly what he was doing and was proud of it. Shadow responded with a dark scowl as he was incredibly tempted to smack the cobalt right against his stupid little head for being such a clever little jerk. But before he could do so... He realized something crucially important.

"Wait, _1950's_... I was created on earth in the fifties... How the hell can I be part of this whole um what exactly is this entire perfect world thing called?" He pondered as he pushed his back against the couch, glancing up at the ceiling in intense concentration.

Nothing was adding up... Unless the development of Mobius had something to do with ARK. Which actually did make some sense. Him and Sonic looked rather similar and so did Rob. It couldn't have been luck that they all looked alike right?

"The name is unfortunately untranslatable since it was in a language that no one really understands anymore. However, it roughly means optimum reality, if I remember correctly. Learned about it early in grade school. But I guess you could call it Mobius's **first** major belief system. I actually knew a little bit about it before Knuckles told me. It was very prominent a thousand years ago or so... But disappeared as modern times came around." Sonic interrupted as he spoke with a rather sophisticated tone before gently poking Shadow in the leg to get him back to reality.

" **Exactly!** How in the _world_ can I be part of this if I'm not even from here? And a person cannot be a princess or prince of a place they're not from...  Right?" Shadow responded irritably as he gently slapped the cobalt's hand off his leg.

A slight evil giggle escaped the azure's mouth as he once again poked the ebony but this time in the stomach before glancing up bashfully. Shadow sent him very dark and stern scowl emphasizing that he was not in the mood to be messed with and Sonic finally decided to let him be... _For now_.

"To tell you the truth, I'm not even sure where **I** came from, myself. I sort of just appeared on this planet with no parents, no family and a blood line that doesn't really exist anymore." Sonic replied as he shrugged in slight indifference as he didn't think this kind of information would be that crucial.

" **AND YOUR JUST TELLING ME THIS NOW?!** " Shadow erupted as he forcefully grabbed the sapphire hedgehog's shoulders before bopping Sonic's head with his hand.

"Well... I don't really know if it's the truth. The first thing I remember is the um you know... _incident_." He replied with an annoyed frown before rubbing the top of his head.

He was surprised to see an apologetic smile on Shadow's face, of which he hadn't seen before. It was shy yet honest and Sonic blinked in slight confusion. The hit didn't really hurt at all but the ebony didn't seem to think so. Maybe it was more an apology for being forced to talk about the incident... Even though Sonic had already gone back to his magical ways of not letting events like that shake him up.

"I think, if anything, we need to _pay_ Eggie a visit and figure out exactly how HE got this information. And why he is so keen on believing and worshipping it as fact. That is why he captured you right? To see if the legends were true and to also get you and that abomination used to each other?" He continued before glaring at Shadow protectively.

Every part of his body was telling him that the toddler needed to be exterminated and quick. But he attempted to keep himself in control as the ebony probably desired.

"His name is Čelik and correct... Ivo was planning on keeping me there until I awoke." Shadow confirmed as he glanced to the side in slight fear.

He knew he was going to have to tell Sonic the bad news eventually... But right now, he was just too fearful. Well, at least he can talk to Rob about the situation and get his opinion on the matter.

"That stupid... **Ugh**. I honestly can't believe he would play god like this. Why not make the same mistake as his grandfather, right? _Seems like a great idea_." The cobalt uttered sarcastically as he rolled his eyes angrily.

Shadow's expression remained slightly worried but with just a hint of rejection. He knew Sonic wasn't trying to make it sound like he was a horrible mistake that should NOT have happened, but it still hurt. His ears went flat across his head as the utter silence made the sapphire hedgehog slightly concerned.

"What's wrong? Are you worried again?" The azure asked sweetly as he placed the palm of his hand on Shadow's cheek.

"I don't get it... I just don't." He confessed before burying his face into his hands.

Once again, all the stress and pressure was really starting to get to him. It became more and more difficult to control his emotions and remain composed. But something suddenly eased the fear as he remembered that Sonic was right there, literally an inch away from him. Something about that thought alone helped him think clearer as he attempted to create some kind of plan to keep both Čelik and Sonic alive.

"Don't worry. **I am here**." The cobalt reassured as he gave the ebony a soft kiss on the forehead.

Something about those three words made Shadow's heart race at speeds he wasn't familiar with. He never really heard anyone else say them to him, even Rob made it clear that they might separate eventually... In the heat of the moment he decided to just let loose and show Sonic how he truly felt.

He quickly wrapped his arms around the sapphire hedgehog before pulling him as close as possible.

"Come here you stupid brat. Must you _always_ melt my heart like chocolate on a summer day? It's really embarrassing ya know." He teased sweetly before leaving a small peck on the azure's peach lips.

Sonic was not too keen on letting this moment slip away from him like the time before and wrapped his arm around Shadow's neck before kissing him back. A giggle escaped the ebony's mouth as the ecstasy of the kiss had finally taken its tole on his mind. He abruptly grabbed the azures tail, knowing all too well how sensitive it was, before squeezing it tightly and gently running his fingers over it. A single seductive growl could be heard as the cobalt softly bit his ear. Another passionate kiss was shared as their tongues meshed together in almost perfect harmony. Neither one fighting for dominance, even though Sonic knew he would probably win if he tried. Shadow feeling a little more daring than usual, slid his finger up the azures back, right on top of his backbone. Causing a huge shiver to run up Sonic's spine as he reacted by forcefully pushing his body as close to Shadow's as possible. As the ebony released a soft moan, the kissing resumed. Slowly growing more and more intense as the speed and force of the meshing continued to escalate almost exponentially. Even though the feeling was unbelievable, the ebony was more than aware that it would probably go too far if they continued. So he quickly broke the amazing kiss before desperately gasping for air.

" _Too much_...  Do you want me to lose my mind?" He plead in utter euphoria as his body collapsed onto the azure's while his soft pants of pleasure continued.

"Mmm... You should already know my reaction to that kind of talk. So am I forgiven, my princess?" Sonic murmured sweetly as he held tightly onto Shadow, making sure he felt completely safe in his arms.

"I dunno... _Should_ I forgive you?" Shadow responded playfully as he buried his face into the cobalt's shoulder.

"You know I didn't mean to insult you. I know you are not property, my dear. But if you haven't already noticed, I happen to be just a tad on the protective side. Especially with someone as beautiful as you." He replied lovingly as he gave his traditional I-know-exactly-what-I'm-doing-and-proud-of-it wink.

"Oh goodness. _There you go again_. How long are you going to keep up this shtick?" The ebony countered mockingly.

"For the rest of eternity..." Sonic whispered softly into his ear as Shadow couldn't help but smile like a giddy school girl before playfully pushing him away.

 _(At least it's only us... I just wonder how the hell he knows I like being called beautiful... I am a man after all...)_

 _(Is he really that good at seeing through me?)_


	33. Chapter 33

"Where is everyone else, by the way?" The charcoal hedgehog inquired slightly embarrassedly as he attempted to change the subject in fear that he might fully lose his self-control.

"Well... Rob left with Tails to go check on Amy. Apparently, she had a **_pretty_** bad mental breakdown and left in complete heartbreak. Knuckles went back to the Master Emerald and you just told Rouge to leave, so I don't know where she ran off too..." Sonic replied dully as he shrugged in slight frustration as he knew the ebony was just trying to end the lovely moment.

"Did they say anything when they left? It's not like Rob especially to leave without giving me some kind of reason or clarification." Shadow uttered worriedly before sliding his hands through his own quills. Deep in thought about what he was going to do about Rob's situation.

Sonic's sweet loving face immediately turned to a dark scowl as he crossed his arms in slight disgust.

If it wasn't obvious already, he really didn't like Shadow talking about Rob in that kind of a way. Like he was a huge deal or something. It really frustrated him as he wanted the ebony to think about him and him ONLY. Shadow was HIS princess and in his eyes... Not that he would ever consider Shadow property or anything...The ebony was his and his **ALONE**.

"Ya know, I've known you for quite some time now... And yet you treat Rob like he's some kind of _knight in shining armor_... I honestly don't get it." He exclaimed in jealousy as he childishly plopped his body on the couch right next to the ebony, continuing to glare at him as he did so.

"Well... Even though I've known you longer then Rob, he's been there for me since the moment I came here from earth... In an odd way, he's kind of become a **father** figure. Whenever I would be in a bad situation, he would be right there to tell me that everything would be okay and get me help." Shadow stated warmly as a sincere smile formed on his muzzle, completely infuriating the cobalt in the process.

He knew he had to remain controlled, but right now all he wanted to do was pin Shadow to the ground and finish what they'd started. But instead of making a rash decision he would most likely regret, he took a deep breath and tried to think clearly.

"Hmm. I see." He replied coldly as he quickly averted his eyes from Shadow's.

This was the only thing he felt comfortable responding with. Every other sentence in his mind would have probably scared the living crud out of the ebony, so he didn't have any other option but to sound detached and unaffected.

"Oh, don't be like that _silly_. That kind of trust takes time and a lot of effort. That's a big reason why I wanted you to give up in the beginning.  I'm not easy." The charcoal hedgehog replied playfully as he nudged the sapphire hedgehog's arm.

For some reason, this was not a response Sonic was expecting. He was anticipating an angry comeback including a five minute nag about how he should be thankful for what he has. Instead, the ebony decided to reduce the tension by teasing him for being so _"silly"_. The reaction seemed to work though and the anger quickly diminished.

"I've told you many times, I like challenge but **not** impossibility... That's why I'm worried. If Rob has already stolen your heart and there's no hope in taking it for myself..." The cobalt spoke worriedly as he shifted his eyes to the charcoal hedgehog's chest, almost imagining a tiny evil version of Rob clinging onto his heart without any sign of releasement.

" **Stole my heart?** Sonic, my heart is big enough for you, Rob, Rouge and Maria." Shadow bellowed mockingly as he immediately wrapped his arm around the azures shoulder before smiling sweetly.

In the end, he did want Sonic to know that he was very special to him. But the reality was, he had many people in his life that he loved and the cobalt needed to respect that.

"But... I... I want to be your number one." Sonic replied as he gently brushed the ebony's arm off his body before sighing in frustration.

"Must _everything_ be a competition with you?" Shadow countered before teasingly ruffling the sapphire hedgehog's quills.

( _Must you always desire to win EVERYTHING? Can't you just let things be every once in a while? Not to mention that last time I checked... I'M NOT A PRIZE.)_

"Well, in this case, **yes**. I am willing to put in all the effort needed if I can somehow be at the top of your list... If that makes any sense." Sonic answered in slight shame as he gently scratched the back of his neck in embarrassment.

"Sonic... Unfortunately, all I can promise you is that I will do my **very** best to open myself up to you. But you have to promise me something in return..." Shadow murmured softly as he felt slightly remorseful for making the azure so upset.

"Of course, _anything_..." The cobalt whispered lovingly as the sound of Shadow's low gentle voice somewhat soothed him back to comfort.

"I need **stability**... If you want me to respect you like Rob, then I need you to be as mentally consistent as possible. Not one day you act a certain way and the next you act another. I need everything in my world to be as safe as it can possibly be. That is what I  need to be happy and this past week or so has really invaded my comfort zone." He stated clearly as he enunciated every word with complete accuracy as to not confuse the sapphire hedgehog.

"You're afraid I'm just going to wake up one day and _decide_ to be a jerk?" Sonic countered mockingly as he abruptly squeezed both of the charcoal hedgehog's cheeks before patting them annoyingly.

"You're already a jerk... I'm okay with that. What I don't want is for you to decide that you actually **want** to hurt me, for whatever reason. Even if I do something that makes you upset, I need to know that I can trust you to remain calm." He growled as his hands shoved against the cobalt's chest causing him to fall over onto the couch.

He really **REALLY** hated being treated like a child. He believed that he deserved to be respected after everything he'd been through. And what right did anyone especially this stupid blue kid have to treat him with disrespect. However, he didn't find it insulting exactly. Mildly irritating at worst and somewhat cute at best.

" _Shadow... "_ Sonic whispered sweetly, attempting to sound as compassionate and endearing as possible.

Once again, the way Sonic said his name, made his body practically shiver. It was amazing, his tone was filled with so much love... So much drive... So much security.

 _(How in the world can he be so damn good at this?)_

The cobalt firmly sat on his legs before crawling over to the passive charcoal hedgehog. Calmly, he crawled close enough to give Shadow's forehead a gently kiss. The ebony could have sworn he heard an " _I love you_ " come from the azure but soon realized it was his imagination. Sonic didn't need to say it... Shadow could feel it. It ran through every inch of his body, bringing that beautiful wonderful euphoria he called nirvana back into his fearful body. The cobalt's protective emerald eyes stared into his somewhat larger ruby irises as he held onto him, desperately wishing to be closer even though he thought it was probably impossible. Those jade eyes were filled with so many secrets... Secrets that he was willing to tell only him... How could he possibly get himself to say anymore harsh comments? All Sonic wanted was to be his. But the fear settled in, quickly filling his mind with doubt. What if this was all fake? What if Sonic didn't actually care for him at all? What if he decides to give up...? What if... What if...

 _Was it worth the risk?_

"Shadow what's wrong...?" The sapphire hedgehog queried quietly.

"Your eyes... They scare me..." 


	34. Chapter 34

Rob and Tails silently walked out of the stunning manor in complete silence. The kitsune was still furious with the brunet hedgehog and his mind continued running at a million miles per hour, attempting to find ANY logical way of protecting Sonic. He sent a cold glare straight to Rob's eyes, making him fearfully jump in the other direction.

"You know, I thought you would be a lot more _confident_ and _aggressive_. You always gave off that kind of narcissistic aura. Guess you're just a **pansy** on the inside." Tails pestered furiously as he smacked the back of the brunet hedgehog trying to make him walk faster to his lab.

Thankfully, the workshop was right next door. But Rob was making it seem like it was miles away with how slow he was moving. The kitsune found it incredibly irritating that Miran's guardian wouldn't be just a tad more concerned with the situation. He practically **MURDERED** Sonic, at least in the fox's opinion.

"Heh? What are you talking about? I am _confident_. However unlike **you** , I do not willingly start conflict." Rob countered in a slightly sophisticate tone attempting to help Tails understand how childish he was acting.

"Hmm... Is that so...? Well I hope you learn from your mistake... You better be **keen** on working your ass off for what you've done, because I am not letting you off the hook." The kitsune replied before quickly unlocking the door to his lab and forcefully shoving the hedgehog inside.

"Oh really? I'm _so_ scared... You do realize I'm **obligated** to protect Voziti, even if I don't like his shitty attitude, right?" Rob spat impolitely as he gave the yellow fox a stern stare in response to his vigorous pushing and shoving.

"Sonic is a wonderful Mobian, your just jealous that he's a much better **protector** than you'll ever be." Tails replied mockingly as he confidently marched over to his work bench to start working on some designs and concepts.

"Listen you little shit. I had no idea who Sonic even was when I was giving Robotnik Shadow's blueprints. All I knew was he was related to **Gerald** , hence meaning he could help me protect Shadow. That was all I was intending on doing and your shitty attitude is almost as bad as the blue peasants. So let's try to, at the very least, to get along a little so we may find a way to defeat that abomination from hell. You wouldn't want the **prince** being _disappointed_ in you. Now would you?" The brunet hedgehog responded disgustedly as he swiftly sauntered over to the couch before plopping on it, stomach first.

"Wait, how did you know about Gerald?" Tails quickly glanced up from his designs with a stern almost skeptical look.

"Are you sure you're the smartest one of the group because you're acting _especially_ stupid. I am Miran's guardian, I know everything about him. Where he came from, who created him and why." He replied mockingly as he grabbed one of the pillows and shoved his face into it as he continued to lie on the couch belly down.

He was starting to get slightly emotional again. In a way, he felt like no one cared. Not even Shadow understood the situation... He knew he needed some kind of support and as he lied there, decided he might go talk to that pink girl. She was obviously just as upset as he was, if not more.

"I know you know that, but how and where did you get that knowledge in the first place. And don't get cocky with me. You're still the one who screwed up big time, _not_ me." The kitsune mocked annoyedly before pulling out his ruler attempting to draft some designs but instead got a face full of discouragement.

He was thinking about maybe creating some kind of machine, but realized two weeks would just not be enough time. He then thought back to the Chaos Emeralds. Doctor Eggman had the only one they knew of. The rest weren't close enough to locate since the Chaos Emerald Locator could only see emeralds a certain distance away.

"That's _classified_ information. So, what's exactly is the plan of attack, **Einstein**?" Rob finally continued the conversation as he was seen lying there for quite some time looking for an appropriate response.

He didn't want to take any more chances messing with the rules of being a Guardian. He already broke the main three. Falling in love with Miran, playing god and telling Voziti who Miran was. He was incredibly surprised that the great Prince of Chaos hadn't killed him yet. But he took this as a sign that Voziti was somewhat forgiving thus meaning he had to keep himself controlled for the rest of the time.

"Oh really now... You're going to pull the ol' classified stunt. Fine, I don't have time to deal with your crap anyway. You're really are starting to irritate me, so why don't you go check on Amy Rose. We might need her help." He countered impolitely before brushing the brunet hedgehog off with a wave of his hand.

"Ooo aren't you a **tough** little brat. Who and where is she, anyway?" Rob uttered sarcastically before angrily throwing the pillow at the kitsune.

He dodged it relatively easily as he showed absolutely no response. He was concentrating too hard on the plans he was working on to stand up for himself.

"She's the pink hedgehog that loves Sonic. She happens to be right next door... You know the super pink cottage, right?" He articulated before frowning at the sight of brown hedgehog standing up with his typical flashy, arrogant pose.

It was similar to Sonic's pose and the fox stopped his sketching as he started to go deep into thought. Sonic, Shadow, AND Rob all looked very similar. And they were all from completely different places. Shadow was from earth. Sonic was from Mobius and he had no idea where Rob came from. All he knew was that he wasn't from around here since he hadn't seen him before. And with a town this small, it would have been impossible to miss _another_ Sonic imposter. What the hell was supposed to be going on here? Everyone was somehow correlated. But the biggest question was HOW...

"Couldn't mistake it from fifteen miles away with how pink it is... I swear something that bright and girly needs to be annihilated... Fine, I'll go check on the love-struck **_pin_** k cushion. By the way, here's this emerald locator thing." Rob replied with a look of utter disgust as he couldn't believe someone actually thought that color was a GOOD idea.

 _(I REALLY hope it's not actually that pink on the inside or I might have to bleach my eyes out...)_

"Wow... That was a horrible pun... I don't even think that counts as a pun! Never do that again. And thanks, I think." Tails responded scornfully as he snatched the item from the brunet hedgehog with as much force as possible.

"Ya, no problem... Remember I'm on _your_ side kid. I'm not your enemy so stop treating me like one." Rob mumbled irritably before blowing a rather flamboyant and mocking kiss as he started taking his leave.

"I still don't know if I trust you... But I guess I don't have a choice but to _try_." The kitsune replied with his pencil feverishly sketching in complete frustration.

How in the world was he going to get Sonic out of this one?

"Sounds like a plan. Be back in a bit. **Ciao~** "

He gave the kitsune a little ostentatious salute before exiting the house with his hands on his hips as he somehow found a way to put the sad thoughts aside, at least for now. He walked just down the street, past a few houses, before arriving at the incredibly bright pink house. It was simple enough, a little porch with a few pots with bright flowers distributed at random. It slightly irritated the brunet hedgehog as he was used to Shadow's incredibly OCD attitude when it came to design and colors. But he quickly pushed it out of his mind as he knew any thought of ebony could cause another mental break down. He walked up the few little steps before politely knocking on the door. After getting no response, he became even more annoyed. He knew this girl was going to be an absolute pain in his behind. He let out a long sigh before knocking again and speaking in an attempt to communicate with the woman.

"Elo, you **in** there Rose?! Tails want's you for some reason, only _Chaos_ knows why, though..." Rob exclaimed coldly as to not give away his inner intentions.

 **Silence**

"Okay... _Seriously_ Rose. I know we just met but you don't have to be afraid of me... I'm not as scary as I look..." He continued mockingly before knocking even louder.

 _(And I don't even look that scary to begin with... More confused if anything.)_

" **What do you want?!** Can't you tell I'm not in the mood to talk to the likes of you...?" She shouted back as Rob could hear the sound of soft sniffling echoing off the walls of the house.

 _(She was crying, huh? I know how you feel Rose. I really do...)_

"The hell are **you** going on about?! Look _girly_ , were in the same situation here and I thought it would be nice to talk to someone going through the same dilemma." Rob countered as he banged his fist against the side of the door in frustration.

Strangely enough, he did actually believe that. Amy had to give Sonic up and he had to give up Shadow. Maybe they could form a friendship of some kind... Although he thought that might be a horrible idea... She seemed like the super protective clingy type. Not the kind of person he usually gets along with. But it was worth a try, right?

Quickly, a clicking noise came from behind the door and slowly it opened just enough for Rob to see one singular green eye staring straight at him. He jumped back in slight hesitation as she had a death glare that could strike fear into the hearts of almost anyone.

"I thought you said **Tails** needed me..." She replied with a sly distrustful tone.

"Uh well... That's _true_ but I also thought we could talk?" The brunet admitted uncomfortably as he hated showing weakness but it seemed to be the only way to get her help.

( _Shit... She might get the wrong idea... How do I say "I have a penis only policy" without looking like a jerk? And why the heck do I care in the first place...)_

"Why do **you** care?" Amy asked sadly as her heart was still dealing with the loss of her one true love.

It was hard enough to forgive and forget on her own. Having someone else pester her was not something she needed or wanted for that matter. But Rob did seem just as upset as she was, making her feel a little less angry. Maybe they could help each other. But she wanted to make sure that he got the right idea.

 **She was not going to deal with any bullshit in this house.**

"I uh well... _I don't care_. I just thought it would be something we could talk about." Rob countered boringly as he tapped his foot against the wood porch impatiently.

"You're quite pathetic aren't you? To ask for support from someone you don't know and on top of that a _woman_." She replied insultingly before frowning in a very unpleasing manner.

"Hay! I wasn't **ASKING** for your support! I merely thought it would be a good thing to talk about... You looked as if you were about ready to fall over and _die_ when I told you the bad news and I thought I could be some kind of help." Rob shouted defensively before crossing his arms in an attempt to look unaffected.

 _(How the hell did she see through me so easily? She's a smart one...)_

Amy opened the door all the way as she had a very familiar look on her face. That look of complete hopelessness that Rob was oh so familiar with.

"Then let's talk... But first, tell me the truth..." She stated seriously before leaning against the door frame, demanding an honest response.

"I uh..."

He stuttered for a little while longer before deciding there was no point in attempting to look cool and tough. So he decided to give in.

"I need some support because I just had to give up someone I love very dearly. And I thought if I gave you support in return we could make some kind of mutual agreement. If you don't need it then I can just go..." Rob confessed whole-heartedly before dragging his eyes to the ground in slight shame.

A small smile formed on her muzzle as she stepped out of the way so the brunet hedgehog could enter.

"You're quite _unusual_ aren't you? You just admitted complete weakness to a girl... I must say I'm very impressed. Well, since you were kind enough to tell me the truth, I suppose we can talk. Although, let me give you a **fair** warning." She articulated very sternly as her face turned incredibly serious.

" _Warning_?"

"I have dealt with enough _boys_ in my lifetime to know that they normally trouble." She continued as she rolled her eyes in complete annoyance.

 _(I fully agree with you on that one...)_

"I do **NOT** take bullshit... We on the same page here, pal?" She completed as her eyes continued to glare in ample uncertainty.

She was still trying to decide if letting this guy into her home was a good idea. He seemed nice enough but she knew she had to be careful.

"I think we most certainly are... But um not to be rude... _I like men only_." He pushed his hand against the back of his head as he chuckled awkwardly.

"You think I'm not _smart_ enough to see that?" She responded impolitely as she pointed at Rob's new especially flamboyant outfit.

 _(Damn... She's a sly one... I must say I'm quite shocked.)_

"My apologies for assuming your lack of intelligence Rose." He replied back sarcastically before confidently walking into the tiny little cottage.

 **"Don't push it, pretty boy."**


	35. Chapter 35

Rob waltzed in with his hips swaying in the usual fashion as he entered the rather cozy cottage. Thankfully the inside wasn't **BRIGHT** pink like the exterior. It was mainly white with a bunch of adorable pastel greens and purples. Rob would consider it a tad outdated, but it had a strange charm to it. As he walked into the living room he noticed countless pictures of the azure hedgehog above the fireplace. Most of them were of him doing relatively ordinary things like playing volleyball with friends or just chilling but one picture threw the brunet hedgehog a little off-guard. It was Sonic in a sparkly leotard doing a cartwheel in front of a huge crowd of excited fans. He looked relatively young, maybe around ten or so and he had to admit the little cobalt looked quite adorable. Rob, being a dancer himself, could really appreciate beautiful technique and even though it was a motionless picture, he could tell how perfect Sonic's form was.

"Please _sit_... I know those pictures are great and all but you don't need to stare at him in such a **peculiar** fashion." Amy asked slightly sarcastically before placing a glass of cold water on the side table next to the floral sofa.

Rob smiled sarcastically before gently plopping his body onto the couch. He leaned his head back as he finally started to relax after all the _chaos_ that happened. Amy also took a seat next to him as she chuckled a little. She had to admit that even though she knew this guy was completely gay, he was very charming. Not really the kind of person she was used to talking with.

"What's _this_ a picture of by the way?" Rob asked curiously as he pointed at the photo he was looking at before.

"Oh that's of Sonic when he was about thirteen. He was the youngest ever all-around world champion in **artistic gymnastics**. You can see why. He's an _amazing_ tumbler. It's a shame that he had to  quit soon after though." She responded before shrugging in slight disappointment.

She was one of those screaming fans after all. He was unbelievable, as a matter of fact, one move that most people call the spin dash was actually named after him. But he begged them to not actually use his name when talking about the move. He'd rather everyone called it a double tuck front, which is what it was.

"He _had_ to quit? Why so young? He still looks like he can perform, at least in my eyes." Rob replied as he took a very elegant sip of his water.

Much like Shadow, Rob's body was in his complete control. Every move he did rather it be walking, running, writing, drinking or eating was all done with crisp and elegant accuracy. As he swallowed his water he noticed Amy's slightly embarrassed look as she sort of glanced to the side. At first he thought he did something uncomfortable but soon realized it was because of his impeccable almost lady like stance. He let out a small chuckle as this wasn't the first time a woman got blushy just by the mere moving of his arm.

"Oh, I'm sure he would blow everyone out of the water but he just couldn't deal with all the publicity. He gets rather _irritated_ with constant attention, especially from a crowd and raving fans. He also had some issues with his trainers. The government forced him to do very strict routines with a very harsh diet. They practically starved him, which is why he is so much skinnier now. In the end, I suppose it was for the best. The actual full reason he quit is very hush hush. The government was very keen on keeping everything involved with him retiring very quiet. I can show you some videos if you want. He was fantastic. Then again, he's amazing at many things. Why are you so interested?" Amy murmured shyly as she almost hid her face behind her drink.

This guy was too perfect... She could barely stand it. In an odd way, it almost made her feel jealous. This guy probably got more men in one week then she could get in her entire lifetime, not that she blamed them.

 _(The things I would do to be that perfect...)_

"Oh... I'm a **dancer**. I took ballet for a good ten years and tap for six. I love it. Really good for my physical and mental health. I wish I could take up rhythmic gymnastics myself but, unfortunately, it's a female-only sport." He exclaimed happily as even the word "dance" got his blood pumping with excitement.

He loved it so much he could barely express it appropriately without flailing around the house like a crazy fan girl. It was an activity he would do for hours and hours without any desire of stopping. At least, until he realized how much his legs hurt. He could remember breaking his foot in second level ballet class and not even noticing until three weeks later when his foot wouldn't stop swelling. He was forced to quit for a month after that and it was **PURE TORTURE**. Sometimes, when his guardian wasn't looking, he would do a couple pirouettes just to get it out of his system. Of course with a foot cast on, it would be rather challenging but he didn't care.

There were many reasons for his obsession. One, he loved looking and feeling fit and two, which is probably the strangest, it made him feel pretty. He loved the look of beauty and perfection which was very dominant in a certain ebony hedgehog he knew. Unlike Rob though, he was perfect already. He didn't need to exercise six hours a day to look beautiful, he already was. A slight sigh slipped from his lips as he felt his enthusiasm be crushed by the thought of his gorgeous princess. He knew that Shadow cared for him but in a way he wished he didn't. It makes it much harder to let go when your body is filled with hope that doesn't exist.

"Oh... You would be a **stunning** gymnast. You look like you would have fantastic lines." Amy interrupted as she replied with a sweet tone, almost as if she knew that the brunet was starting to feel sad.

Not that it was that challenging to see. Rob had difficulty hiding his emotions. His barrier was much thinner than most men his age. Plus, being a dancer, you learn to be very animated with your facial expressions.

"Oh... You sayin' you like the _lean_ look of my body, hmm? If I wasn't so distracted by this houses what you call _interior decorating,_ I would think that you're **flirting** with me." He countered cutely before giving the pink hedgehog a slightly mischievous wink.

"Don't worry... Even though you're gorgeous, my heart still belongs to **Sonic** even after all that has happened. Not that it really matters since you probably have so many fanboys drooling over you already. I must say, _I'm quite jealous_." She teased back before attempting to wink back but failing epically in the process.

"Ooo... Nice save. You're a smart lady and I can appreciate that. Just don't get too cocky okay? If there's anything I hate it's a smartass." He replied before chuckling confidently.

 _(I give her a B for effort at least. Not everyone can be as charismatic as me... To be honest, it's kind of cute... In a strange way.)_ He thought as his face flushed with slight surprise.

 _(No, no. That's nonsense. It's like when you're looking at a puppy who's scared of its own shadow... That kind of cute... Right? Oh Shadow...)_

His ears went down in slight distress as the ebony's smiling happy face practically tortured his mind.

( _Why must he always infiltrate my thoughts like this...? Is he really the center of my life? I mean I suppose he's supposed to be. It is my job to protect him.)_

"What? You think we're _all_ dumb and annoying?" She continued irritably before releasing a single humph.

"Eh. I tend to be a _bit_ more forgiving then that... Say that picture is from a while ago... How long have you known him?" Rob responded, attempting to change the subject as quickly as possible.

"You wanna **know** a secret?" She whispered slightly before skootching closer to the slightly uncomfortable brunet hedgehog.

 _(Do you have any concept of personal space woman?!)_

"Honey, I'm gay. I **live** for secrets and gossip." Rob replied awkwardly as he tried to remind her that he wasn't interested in being ANYTHING more than friends.

"I knew Sonic _way_ before he met Tails... Even though Tails is considered his oldest friend. I met him right after the _incident_... He was around eight and I was five. I fell in love with him at first sight." She admitted lovingly before overdramatically pushing the back of her hand against her forehead.

"The incident? What incident?!" He erupted in slight shock before grabbing the pink hedgehog's shoulders in curiosity.

"Unfortunately, I doubt Sonic wants me talking about. However, I was there from the very beginning. Although, he desperately tried to ignore me. After the incident, he had difficulty being positive. He kind of acted like Shadow a little bit. He was very hard on himself and obviously had a lot of personal demons to deal with. But I'm **so** amazed how well he turned out. Even though he doesn't really  appreciate everything I've done for him... It's still nice to see him happy again. Especially now that he has his _princess_..." Amy sighed in slight disappointment as she crossed her arms over her body.

She wasn't exactly sure why she wasn't sadder. Maybe it was because she got out all her emotions prior to meeting Rob. However, it was more bittersweet than anything. In reality, she wasn't that angry. She was happy for Sonic and Shadow. They would both be able to find happiness together. But a little part of her wanted to throw a massive fit in rebellion. She pushed it aside though as she knew she was no longer a child. She was twenty-two now and needed to act like it.

"Ya... I've **never** seen Shadow so relaxed, myself..." Rob added as he also felt a tad dissatisfied with the situation.

"How long have you've known Shadow, by the way?" She asked plainly in an attempt to change the slightly emotional subject to something more ordinary.

In reality, she didn't really care but she knew she had to move onto something else in order to prevent the water works. Or at least, **TRY** to prevent the water works. She was almost certain that it would get to her eventually.

"For a very long time... But unfortunately, I cannot talk any more than that. I would be in major trouble with Voziti." He replied before awkwardly scratching the back of his head.

"You act like _Voziti_ is this  all-mighty powerful demon from hell. You realize that _isn't_ like Sonic right? He's always been a wonderful hero. Saving me countless times even if I do annoy him..." She sighed tenderly before dazing off into space.

"Voziti is **nothing** like that blue peasant. He's incredibly brutal and ruthless. He was so close to ending my life but spared it at the last second. I'm not even really sure why he did it. Maybe he knew Miran would be incredibly upset... To be honest, I'm terrified what will happen if he shows up again." Rob mumbled in slight fear as even the thought made him want to sink into the couch.

"I wonder then... If Voziti has **anything** to do with the incident then..."

"I still have **no** idea what the incident even is... So I can't help you." He shrugged before slouching on the couch in slight boredom.

"Let's just say it involved death. But it doesn't really matter what happened. He ended up being a wonderful person... But I do worry that he's **faking** it some of the time. After the event, people were enraged and attempted to either kill or throw him in an insane asylum. So, he learned very quickly how to pretend to be normal. But I wish he would just confront it instead of pretending everything's okay. In the end... I just want what's best for him. I love him more than anything..." Amy's voice came off as bittersweet as a single sentimental chuckle filled the air.

There was silence as Rob felt a strong sense of admiration. She loved Sonic in exactly the same way he loved Shadow and for once he sensed that someone understood his feelings. Amy's face turned red as she quickly attempted to change the subject but Rob quickly placed his hand on her shoulder. Maybe they could be friends. He seemed to enjoy her company, at least for now.

"Honestly... **I'm sorry** that destiny had to ruin everything. But know that I feel exactly the same for Shadow. I know what you're going through. And hay maybe I can be your new gay best friend. We can go shopping, eat at fancy restaurants, drink wine and, of course, go shopping. It will be awesome!" He shouted happily before gently patting Amy's back.

"Aww. You're cute. You think I **NEED** a gay best friend?" She asked slyly before giving him a teasing wink.

"Doll face... Every girl needs a gay best friend. Who's going to tell you when your clothes are ugly as sin or when a guy just isn't worth your time? In my opinion, it's a **requirement**." Rob replied assertively.

He was immediately embraced by the pink hedgehog and it instantly hit his _NO NO NO_ button. But after a second or two, he realized it was just a friendship hug and relaxed a little. He felt what seemed like drops of water on his shoulder and realized she was crying. This was going to be a rough process. But he felt a little more secure knowing that he had a new friend to cry with. He gently patted her back as the crying continued.

"Hay it's okay. We'll get through this **together** , kay?" He comforted gently before cautiously hugging her back.

"Thank you... I've actually never _had_ a gay best friend. Is this what they do?" Amy passively wiped the tears from her eyes as she released a pitiful sniffle.

Rob chuckled a little as he knew that wasn't necessarily true. It was more his personality. Even though he looked like a snob with the answers to everything in existence, he was actually quite a supporting guy. He had to be after all. That's the kind of person the guardian of Miran is. Gentle, strong and forgiving without much bias. He, of course, did have his weaknesses. As explained prior, no filter means constant emotions. As a matter of fact, anytime he would feel something, he almost felt it impossible not to express it. This is why he had to learn to be an actor. If he didn't, he would look like one of the wimpiest guys on the planet. Not to mention his constant rebellious and emotionally unstable attitude. He remembered one time being called fat in the third grade and he wouldn't eat for three days. He ended up having to go to the hospital where they forced him to eat. Of course, that wasn't a problem now because he knew, for a fact, that he was **NOT** fat. If anything, he was frighteningly skinny. But he still ate... Most of the time.

"Not always. But you got the sweet-gay-best-friend type. Feel very fortunate Miss Rose. Some of my um _friends_ are complete jerks. Like snooty pin-ups who complain when your thighs are too large. Chaos, I hate those kinds of people..." Rob muttered disgustedly before gaudily rolling his eyes.

"How am I **NOT** supposed to fall in love with you?" She replied flirtatiously as she gently pat the brunet's cheek.

"Do you want life to be more miserable than it already is?" He countered before releasing a half-serious growl.

"Alright alright. I get the picture tough guy. So anyway... Is there anything _else_ you wanted to talk to me about?" Amy responded mockingly as she batted her eyes in an attempt to look like she was innocent.

"Oh ya... The reason I came here. Tails needs your help finding **something** to help protect Sonic from the new Metal Sonic." He explained before crossing his legs dramatically and rubbing the tips of his fingertips against his temple.

Her face turned instantly white as she grabbed the brunet's shoulders. She looked at him very worriedly as she assumed the absolute worst.

"What do you mean _protect_ Sonic from Metal Sonic?! What the hell happened?!


	36. Chapter 36

Rouge absolutely **adored** the garden. How could she not with all its bright orange, pink and blue flowers. It practically  exploded with color and light. Not to mention the amount of money _thrown_ into the beautiful pond and fountain was rather ravishing. She decided to take a single small ring, worth around a penny, and plop it into the crystal clear water. The ripple effect seemed to put her into a deep thought process. This whole event was going to leave a huge effect on **everything** and after it triggered one thing it would move onto another and so on and so forth. It might even end up altering everything in this practically docile and predictable little town. Not something she was looking forward to mind you. She decided to sit on the bench next to the beautiful oasis of frogs, fish, bugs and other delightful creatures to conjure up a slight prayer. She hoped this along with the ring would be enough for her wish to come true.

 _(Dear Chaos, please protect Sonic from harm. There's not much I can do but hope that everything will be okay. And please, above all, help Shadow see how much of an amazing person he is. My words do not seem to get to him, even though I speak them with complete honesty. He and Rob are some of the kindest men I've ever met and have really taught me that thoughtful males do exist... Please protect all of them...)_

As she finished her prayer, she decided to slide a little picture from out of her pocket. It was her absolute favorite: The only time she actually got Shadow to **smile**. She was standing next to Rob and the ebony with a beautiful grand piano in the background. Rob along with Rouge each paid half and they were finally able to get Shadow something he  really wanted. Whenever she was in a time of turmoil, she would pull out this photo and, within seconds, the sight would cause a sincere smile to form on her muzzle. Shadow **_was_** really the ultimate lifeform. But in her eyes, she couldn't imagine him ever being created for evil. Whenever she thought of it, the ebony was **undoubtedly** the most moral male she had ever met. He tried everything in his power to do the right thing and he rarely thought about his own selfish desires. Although, Rouge had to admit when he did, it would be the cutest thing. He would get all flushed while talking in a very submissive voice and always add if you want or in my opinion. It's as if all Shadow wanted to do was be seen as a  good person. He did have his faults, however. She thought back to the time when they were shopping and she picked out an especially flashy outfit in an attempt to impress him. Unfortunately, it backfired because Shadow gave a particularly long speech about appropriate attire and what colors and patterns go with what. After about forty-five minutes, Shadow had practically annoyed the entire store with his **incredibly** obsessive-compulsive comments. Of course, Rouge found it strangely adorable. And hay, those fashion tips came in really handy when she was out and about. People always complimented her clothes.

It was almost as if...

Everything was an attempt to prove to himself and everyone else that he wasn't evil. That he can prove the scientists and government officials who killed his family **wrong**... That he was good. But no one seemed to notice besides herself and Rob. At least until the great prince Voziti came into the picture. Speaking of which, Sonic seemed to be in a similar situation but he dealt with it very differently. He didn't want to  prove to himself and others that he was good. All he wanted to do was **survive** and adapt to society in an appropriate manner. How can two very similar conflicts cause two completely different reactions?

She sighed as the thought kind of bothered her. She knew Shadow didn't like her that way and she was aware that their personalities didn't really mix either. But she _did_ care for him... Mainly as a **mother**. She didn't want her ebony baby to be snatched up by some guy who didn't deserve him.

As she glanced back down at the picture to have one last look before putting it back in her pocket, a little **red** butterfly was seen gently fluttering closer and closer to it. Right before her eyes it landed and rested on top of Rob's face. She blinked and in an instant it was gone. She thought for a moment it was her imagination but realized it was real as it fluttered off into the distance. After all, red butterflies are awfully rare this time of year... How odd. But she decided to not let it get to her as she quickly shoved the photo back into her pocket before deciding to check on the two hedgies.

She took a deep breath before standing and gracefully walking to the entrance of the house. She prepared herself, as she knew they would probably be doing something _inappropriate_. However, when she opened the door she saw something rather shocking. It was unbelievably precious as she let out a single aww. Shadow was lying in Sonic's lap, curled up into a little ball with little tears streaming down his face. He didn't seem upset or angry, more like frustrated. He looked as if he needed to get out all the tension in his body. And the azure was simply rubbing his back with one hand and wiping the tears from the ebony's eyes with the other. The cobalt's repetitive motion almost threw Shadow into a kind of hypnotic trance. Where nothing, not even the arrival of Rouge could really disturb him. Sonic turned his head to look at her before taking the hand he was wiping the tears with and putting them up to his lips.

"I finally got him to calm down. So **please,** be quiet." He whispered delicately as Shadow immediately grabbed the hand to place it back on his face.

"You're okay Shadow... Relax." Sonic murmured gently before stroking the charcoal hedgehog's slightly soft and red cheek.

"Who's there...?" Shadow whimpered shyly as he popped up his head for a second to look around the house.

"Don't worry about it. **I'll** take care of it..." The cobalt responded in an assuring tone as he pushed the ebony's head back to where it was.

Shadow nodded while lying his head back in his lap and released a huge yawn before gently closing his eyes. Sonic continued rubbing his back in the exact same manner causing the ebony to almost instantly fall asleep.

" _Finally_... Thanks for being quiet Rouge." He wiped the sweat from his forehead as he took a very deep long breath of relief.

The beautiful bat carefully tip-toed to the couch without making a single sound before resting her hip against the sofa.

"No problem. Seems you have **everything** under control. I'm quite surprised." She muttered delicately before smiling at the adorable sight.

"I'm practicing..." Sonic replied in a rather sophisticated and mature tone causing a somewhat confused expression to appear on Rouge's face.

"Practicing what exactly?" She asked before raising her eyebrows in general hesitation.

The cobalt sounded awfully unusual and she noticed it almost right away. He appeared much colder and emotionless, which in a very strange way, made her awfully worried. His tone was almost robotic without much inflection and she figured he was just stressed from whatever happened earlier. But she quickly realized that this Sonic the Hedgehog was not forced or awkward. Every motion and word seemed relatively natural. Is this somehow the real Sonic? Or is this just a part of him that was pushed away for so long that it needed to emerge?

"Trying to be gentle and constant. He said he needs it to be happy... So, I will do anything in my power to help him relax..." His voice changed dramatically as he gently brushed his hand against the ebony's cheek.

The robotic tone was replaced with a soft murmur as a small smile formed on his peach muzzle. His eyes seemed to focus on the ebony as if he was the only thing in his life worth protecting. That **nothing** else in the world matter but the safety of his beautiful princess.

"I assume you know about the situation. So what are you going to do about it?" Rouge interrupted as she desperately wanted to know what his plan was.

"I'm afraid I do not understand what you are saying." Sonic responded clearly as his voice returned back to its strange monotone.

"Are you _feeling_ okay? You're talking funny... And uh... with Metal Sonic." She continued passively as a twinge of fear sprung in her spine.

Something about the way he sounded and looked at her made her feel unbelievably uneasy. It's as if he had a sleeping demon inside him that could attack at any moment and she did not want it to wake.

"Feel **fortunate**. You got to see me without my _radical_ filter. Shadow finds it a lot more appealing and what about it?" He countered sternly before darting cold protective eyes at her as if he was making it very clear that he was not afraid to destroy her.

"Ah. So this is the real Sonic the Hedgehog. In-Interesting... And Sha-adow didn't tell you?" She stuttered fearfully before taking a few steps back from the couch as if she wanted to make a run for it.

She decided it was best to try and pretend like everything was normal and that she wasn't scared shitless. So she took a deep mental breath before standing her ground.

"Apparently not. Don't worry. I shall take care of it when Shadow has returned to a more steady state. He is very emotionally unstable right now. He had a mental breakdown where he was practically screaming about how afraid he was. It was an incredible shock. However, I found a way to calm him down. I had no idea he could lash out like that." He articulated sweetly while smiling at the adorable sight when the ebony shivered and snuggled closer to him.

"Yes. _Unfortunately_ , even though he attempts to remain controlled, he sometimes loses his cool as you can clearly see. Especially in stressful situations. But I give you an A plus. Look at how peaceful he looks." She replied passively while noticing the relief in Shadow's body movements.

They both glanced down at his face as a soft, subtle smile brightened his face. He looked almost completely different. Practically like a black furry porcelain doll, fragile but incredibly beautiful. Sonic bent down before giving his forehead a gentle kiss.

"Her name does mean **peaceful** after all. My little Miran. I'm still amazed I found her in exactly the place I didn't think I'd find her. But now that I look at him, they do look very similar." He smiled up at Rouge before sighing in disbelief.

"You know what her name means? Is it in some kind of language you know that we don't?" She queried before tilting her head slightly.

"It's an **ancient** mobian language. I somehow knew how to speak it from a very young age even though I have no memory of learning it..." He bit his lip as he knew that probably wasn't a good thing.

Shadow shuffled uncomfortably as he clung to Sonic desperately before whining softly in his sleep. The cobalt started to rub his back again causing the whimpers to conclude, for now...

"Sonic... Do you think Voziti has something to do with the event then...? If you know how to do things you can't even remember?"

"It must. I have been attempting to wrap my brain around the concept that we are all connected. Me, Shadow and Rob. However, I do not really have time to worry about it. I have my princess to attend to." He replied protectively before gently running his fingers through the ebony's quills.

"You seem to have him wrapped around your little finger. Take good care of him for me okay? He's quite fragile..." She countered uncomfortably as Sonic had that crazy look in his eyes again.

"Don't worry... I'm Sonic the Hedgehog and the Prince of Chaos. I can and will take care of him. Even if it means destroying everything else in my path..." Sonic enunciated firmly with every word spoken with great motivation that the bat had not truly ever seen.

"Sometimes... You _really_ worry me." She responded with a concerned and slightly hesitant tone.

She placed her hand on her hips before glancing away from the cobalt as his face became even more dark and sinister.

"Join the club. My only real goal in life was to find Miran... And now that I have, nothing else really matters." His muzzle turned into a scowl as he felt slightly attacked by the comment.

 _(Of course, I have issues. Were you blind by my other persona as well?)_

"What about Tails, Amy and the rest of the crew? **What about the team, Sonic**?!" She shouted while aggressively slamming her fist against the top of the couch, causing the sleeping ebony to shuffle fearfully.

Both the bat and azure hedgehog remained completely still until they were both sure that he was still asleep.

"As long as they don't get in my way, I don't see any reason to remove them... But mark my words. If you do, I have no shame in eliminating you..." His eyes darted to her slightly ashamed teal eyes and she stood in silence for a few seconds.

"Sonic... **That's terrible**." Rouge trailed off a little as she couldn't even really finish the statement.

 _(How could he say such a horrible thing? After everything we've done for him...)_

"I'm sorry... I should have kept my mouth shut." Sonic muttered before burying his face into Shadow's beautiful silky quills, inhaling his scent in an attempt to relax his raging emotions.

"Do you have **no** heart?! Sonic we all care about you and you're willing to throw all that away because you _feel_ like your princess is the only thing that matters?! Tails has been your best friend for Chaos knows how long and you have the guts to say that your fine with _eradicating_ him if he so as touches your princess. You're crazy! Absolutely insane... It's no wonder everyone feared you and still does!" She exploded as her face lit up in complete wrath.

All the cobalt could do was release a half whimper of regret. He knew he didn't really think that. How could he? Tails was his best buddy... But deep inside his heart felt nothing. Did he want to protect Tails and the rest of his friends? Of course. But it was more or less because he felt like it was the right thing to do. That's how he was raised. If you don't feel anything then follow everyone else's example and be a good person or else you get thrown in jail for the rest of your life. He wanted to be good... But without the empathy or love to back it up, it was becoming more and more difficult to hide his true feelings.

 _(I'm sorry Rouge. Really I hate for you to see me like this. This entire thing is stressful for me to you know and I'm starting to have trouble lying. Why...? Why do I have to be this way? Why can't I feel like other people do? It just isn't fair... Why do I have to secretly be...)_

 _(A monster...)_


	37. Chapter 37

Amy politely knocked on the door to Tails lab as Rob stood impatiently resting his hip against the exterior wall. After about two or so minutes of silence, she knocked again. As time went on, Rob grew gradually more irritated as he felt like he was wasting valuable time by trying to be _good-mannered_.

"It looks like the doors open! Can't we just go in ourselves? He _did_ ask for you after all..." He complained irritably before releasing a poised groan.

"I want to be sure he's not busy or something. We don't want to come in and see something we can't unsee." She replied in a proper tone before sighing in annoyance.

"What _something_? He's just a kid? Ya think he went out and took one of his fox ladies home or something?" Rob exclaimed obnoxiously before poking her shoulder in boredom.

"Is that **really** all you think about...?" She inquired grouchily before swiping his hand off of her.

"That's what most Mobians think of when you say ' _something you can't unsee_ '. The only other thing is seeing someone naked and he kind of already is so..." He shrugged before slouching onto the wall as if he was about to fall asleep.

"Will you hush already? I'm trying to hear for a response." She groaned before gently swiping at the brunet in order to keep him from passing out.

"We don't have all day Rose..." He murmured groggily before rubbing his eyes.

He was incredibly exhausted at this point. He hadn't gotten any sleep since the Voziti incident and was starting to find it difficult to stay awake.

"Well forgive me for trying to be courteous! I'm not a pig like most people and barge into someone's house without their permission." She snapped mockingly before giving Rob the darkest glare she could muster up.

"There's no courtesy on a battlefield Amy. Plus I know for a fact, according to the blue peasant, that you have barged into his house more than once. " He replied softly before releasing a huge yawn.

"Please? I **really** think I need to go lie my head down." He continued slightly fearfully before giving her little sad puppy eyes as he continued to blink groggily in attempt to keep himself conscience.

Her pink face immediately flushed red as she sighed before finally putting her hand on the door handle, slowly turning it and peeking inside. She was quickly pulled away by a rather aggressive brunet hedgehog as he forcefully turned the handle and opened the door before walking back over to the pink hedgehog and gently pushing against her back in an attempt to make her move.

"Forgive the disruption! C'mon Rose... Ya comin' or what? We have business to take care of." He exclaimed angrily as he somehow found some kind of energy hidden inside his body.

Her slightly shocked face remained flushed as she slowly nodded. Rob rolled his eyes obnoxiously before grabbing her arm and dragging her forward. As they entered she struggled against his grip until they were completely inside before she was finally released as rob expelled an annoyed exhale.

"Can you not be so **forceful**!? Geez, I was going!" She spat in complete infuriation as she freed a hmph she had been keeping in for almost an hour.

"Ya. Well, you were going to slow." He replied mockingly before pushing against her back playfully.

"Gosh. You really are a lot like Sonic! Always speed and no consideration for others feelings." She crossed her arms tightly before turning around and glaring at him.

She was immediately shoved against the wall as Rob closed the space between them and trapped her. She stood her ground confidently without any sign of fear before the brunet growled in authority.

"Don't you **dare** compare me to the sociopathic monster who stole the love of my life... You're lucky I'm generally a _courteous_ man and don't hit girls, or I would have slapped you so hard you would have gone flying out of the house. Now please. I am fairly stressed. I have been through a lot this past week and, like you, am dealing with a lot of pain and denial. I would appreciate, no I NEED, cooperation. Just until I get my emotions more under control then you're absolutely free to test my boundaries. But right now... I need your support, Rose." He whispered weakly before gently placing his head on her shoulder.

His body slumped over a little as he felt like he might just pass out from the unbelievable pressure. He just wanted to get this over with as fast as possible. Save the stupid peasant and move on. At least he felt little more comfortable now that he was near someone. He didn't really care if it made it look like they were cuddling, he just needed something or someone to relax on. Amy slowly wrapped her arms into a friendly hug as she knew she had crossed the line a little. The stress was affecting her too, of course, making her much more easily aggravated. She knew for both of their sakes, that she needed to remain as calm as possible. But how in the world was she going to pull that off?

"Sorry." She said simply as there was nothing really else to say.

"Woah now... Am I _interrupting_ something? I leave to go take a nap and you guys burst into my house and make out in the corner? That's not very polite ya know. Do you guys _need_ a minute?" Tails exploded as he almost burst into laughter while entering the hall from his bedroom.

Both sternly glared at him as Rob backed away from Amy so that she could escape, not that she really wanted to. Being close to this beautiful specimen of a male was quite a sight.

 _(Way to ruin a wonderful moment, Tails. I finally meet a nice guy that is hot as hell and this happens.)_

"Nah, were good! Don't worry, my annoying friend, I have no interest in her. She just **happened** to push my buttons and I was showing her what happens when she messes with the fabulous Roberto!" He exclaimed mockingly before flamboyantly walking over to the little yellow fox.

"Didn't know you liked girls, Rob." The kitsune snickered as he covered his mouth childishly.

"I don't. So do you have any news regarding the mission? Or did you spend the entire time sleeping on the job?" The brunet mocked back as he smiled insincerely.

"Fine, fine. Sassy as ever, I see. Good or bad news first?" Tails asked as he signaled both of them with his hands to follow him back to the laboratory just across from his bedroom.

"Just tell me, you idiot." Rob responded irritably as he dragged himself to the lab, almost tripping over the tile in the process.

Amy, Rob and Tails all entered the room as the kitsune marched over to his Chaos Emerald Locater that happened to have two blinking spots on it. Next to it was a pile of graph paper that had tons of sketches designed all over it.

"Well, there is a very condensed area of Chaos energy around Angel Island. I thought maybe it was the Master emerald or a Chaos emerald but its way to small. The two items are roughly the size of a thumb. And I really think they might be helpful if we give them to Sonic." Tails stared as he pulled out some of the graph paper showing the exact coordinates of the locations and some other neat sketches.

"How do you even know that Sonic can use them? Those things could be completely different forms of Chaos energy. It might just kill him." Rob added as he mentally slapped himself to keep himself awake.

 _(Or worse, awaken Voziti completely. The last thing we want is him starting a murdering rampage.)_

"Well, all I know it's similar to a Chaos emerald but much more condensed. And there are two of them. So if one doesn't work, we can always try the other. Plus, I'm pretty sure they have something to do with the partial awakening of Voziti, because I would have seen them earlier. So, I think this is our only bet, since the other Chaos emeralds are too far away to register on the Chaos Emerald Locator." The kitsune replied as he rested his back against the desk holding all the valuable information and charts.

"If you're **absolutely** sure that it won't hurt anyone, I guess it's worth a shot. However, I think it might be wise to get some sleep beforehand even though Mr. Sleeping-on-the-Job over here slept already. By the way, are you coming Rose? It might be dangerous. I hope you are mentally and physically prepared." The brunet hedgehog asked slightly protectively as he was somewhat surprised by this sudden heat burning in his stomach.

"Of course... _Anything_ for my Sonic." Amy exploded sweetly as she intertwined her fingers into an adorable pose.

Rob noticed immediate nauseous with Amy's statement. He thought it was just because of the mentioning of Sonics name. But after a few seconds of thinking, he realized it wasn't the name that got to him but the "my" part.

( _Am I jealous...? Why? That's not like me.)_ He questioned worriedly as he quickly pushed the thought away as an impossibility.

"Alright let's gather up Rouge, Knuckles and get on the road. Rob, are you feeling okay?" Tails questioned speculatively before looking closely at Rob's especially lazy demeanor.

He was staring blankly into space, deep in thought. How the heck could he have gotten jealous? I mean it can't be that right? Maybe it's more of a protecting issue. He knew Amy was going through a similar turmoil so it was in his best interest to protect her... That has to be it right?

"Oh ya... I'm fine." He responded slowly before taking a deep breath and rubbing his fingers against his head.

"We have a long journey ahead. Get yourself packed up and then we can all have a few hours of sleep before heading to Angel Island. By the way, it might be wise to get some tools because according to the coordinates it's probably partially, if not, completely underground." Tails replied irritably before groaning in slight annoyance.

Rob was again, starting to get on his nerves. He acted like the world revolved around him and that everyone needed to do what he desired. The kitsune thought it was incredibly selfish and immature.

"Well, that sounds _totally_ safe... Guess we have no choice, though." Rob countered mockingly before looking around the big lab room until his eyes spotted a soft couch practically calling his name.

"Sonic needs us! We must. And I'm sure Shadow will feel a lot better if we get Sonic some kind of safety net, right Rob?" Amy cheered Rob on as she felt like he needed a little extra motivation to get him to get going.

It didn't seem to get him any more excited as he had one thing on his mind. He felt a strange sense of comfort and nodded gently as he walked over to the beautiful sofa before collapsing. The furniture wasn't exactly comfortable but to him, it felt like the most amazing thing in the world. The world was practically spinning as he couldn't help but close his eyes.

"Get your shit together okay?" Tails growled unsympathetically as he started walking to his room next door to begin packing.

"Ya ya... I hear you senseless twerp. Now let me sleep." 


	38. Chapter 38

Somewhere, in the main forest that separated the small town, Sloboda, from the ocean shore and the bottom of Angel Island were two arguing and rather heated hedgehogs. The ebony happened to be clinging onto the azure by his waist as he prevented any further movement. Sonic was only going to pay Eggman a little visit to enlighten him on what happens when he messes with the great Sonic the Hedgehog. But Shadow completely freaked out as soon as he even brought up the idea. And the cobalt knew... With complete displeasure, that the charcoal hedgehog was hiding something. Something VERY important. And at this point, Sonic was starting to lose his patience. If the ebony was going to do this crap then he was going to have to teach him a thing or two about respect.

"Why won't you just **tell** me what's going on Shadow?! Why are you so  keen on keeping me from what needs to be done. Let go of me already!" The azure spat as he banged his fist against one of the many trees in complete frustration.

Shadow reacted by clinging to him tighter. He wasn't exactly sure why he felt so terrified. He never thought Sonic would hurt anyone before. But now he knew, he knew what he could do and that was enough to spin his mind and desires out of control. He felt like he might burst into tears at any moment and decided if he acted a little more passive, maybe the cobalt speedster would listen to his pleas.

"Please. Listen to me! Violence is **never** the answer. You know that! And I know the moment you step inside that laboratory you're going to not only destroy the place but attempt to kill everyone in the building. You need to calm down. I have told you this many times. Just _please_ , I don't want to make you upset."

" **I'M ONLY UPSET BECAUSE YOUR HIDING SHIT FROM ME SHADZ**! You know I would never hurt him while you're around. I'm not an idiot you know. Don't you remember that I love you? Or do I have to spell it out to you over and over again until you just accept it!" The azure exploded as a few birds in the surrounding trees flew off in complete panic.

Shadows face flushed red as he felt a strange combination of love and fear. He wanted nothing more than to stay completely silent, as words seemed to completely escape him anyway. How could he say this without sounding like he was encouraging the death of his petite toddler friend? He got more attached to the little guy every day. Almost like it was his own child, in a way, it kind of was. Dr. Eggman had used his general outline combined with Sonics DNA. He couldn't let this unbelievable creation of life be destroyed.

"Sonic..." He responded weakly as a few tears filled is eyes.

He feebly let go as he buried his head into his hands before turning the other way. Sonic immediately reached out his hand in apology but the ebony quickly rejected it.

"I'm sorry... I raised my voice. Those were not appropriate things to say." The cobalt expressed sweetly before gently placing his hand on the ebony's back before starting the repetitive petting motion that always seemed to calm him.

"You have every right to. That's not why I'm upset." Shadow whimpered softly as he once again pushed the cobalt's hand off his back in rebellion.

He really wasn't in the mood to be messed with even if Sonic was just trying to comfort him. In the end, all the attention just made him feel weaker and feebler.

"Then? Is it really that bad? I promise I won't do anything extreme. I've kept myself controlled for almost twenty years, I think I will be okay." The sapphire hedgehog reassured as he gave the ebony a confident pat on the shoulder.

"Like hell you will..." Shadow replied irritably as he crossed his arms before leaning against a tree.

"According to what I know... Two Voziti's cannot live on this planet for very long. It messes with the balance of Chaos energy. Apparently, I and the guardians, have a limited amount of time we can keep things suitable for life. But, I really believe that there might be a way to keep both you and Čelik alive. There **must** be a way! I just need to find what it is." He explained before glaring down at the ground in complete frustration.

The azure stood in silence as he released a solid and groan like sigh. He knew the ebony wasn't going to like his response but maybe if he kept it short, it wouldn't be as hurtful.

"He needs to go Shadow." The cobalt responded in a nurturing tone before walking over to the ebony and wrapping his arms around his hips in an attempt to keep him relaxed.

"No. Absolutely not! I don't want him to die. Sonic... I can't handle it. It's too much." The charcoal hedgehog murmured as his voice was drowned in soft sobs.

"He has to Shadow." The cobalt replied as he gently stroked Shadow's soft quills.

He hated seeing him upset. As a matter of fact, he always had. Seeing Shadow frown or worse cry was almost pure torture from the very beginning. All those odd feelings made complete sense now and he was not going to let them go to waste. He had the opportunity to express love for the first time in almost a decade and it made him almost forgive himself for all the horrible things he felt.

"No! I **will** find a way!" Shadow exclaimed confidently as the tears in his eyes became more apparent and large.

"It isn't your fault." Sonic comforted as he gave the ebony a slight kiss on the forehead.

"YA! WELL IT ISN'T HIS EITHER?! HE'S A TODDLER, SONIC! WE ARE KILLING A SWEET INNOCENT LITTLE BABY! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW THAT MAKES ME FEEL?!" Shadow shrieked with as much force as his lungs could handle.

He quickly shoved Sonic away from him as he immediately dashed to the other side of the tree so he could hide his teary face and shame.

Sonic released a gentle sigh as he knew he was not going to be able to convince him. And as he dived deep into thought, realized he had to give in. Normally, he was very persistent but knew this was a fight he couldn't win.

"Alright. I see there's **no** way around this. So, I will see what I can do. How about we go talk to Eggie and see if we can get any information out of him. Obviously, there are things he's not telling us." Sonic replied calmly as he walked back to the tree only to see Shadow passively try to hide his entire body behind it.

"You mean it? _You'll really try_?" He whispered weakly before wiping the tears away with his glove.

"I'll give it my best and honest shot. But only because I love you too much to see you like this. Now who's your favorite hedgehog?" He admitted before opening his arms out, inviting Shadow to give him a hug.

Instead, he was hastily pounced on, causing him to go hurtling towards the ground. Shadow lied on top of him nuzzling his face gently against the cobalt's peach belly. He returned by giving the ebony a soft kiss on the head.

"You..." Could be faintly heard through the muffle of fur as the azure raised his eyebrows as if he didn't hear.

"Sorry. Didn't catch that? Whatcha say, baby?" The sapphire hedgehog asked slyly as he sent a confident wink to the ebony's now self-conscious face.

"Just go talk to Eggman you dimwit." Shadow countered embarrassedly as he immediately got up and stood with his arms crossed as if nothing happened.

"Fine... But I'll be expecting a more _confident_ response when we get back tonight." He replied seductively before blowing the ebony a sultry kiss.

"You won't be getting shit out of me at this rate." The ebony exclaimed as he leaned against the tree trying to look like he was unaffected by the situation.

"Well... I hope not... I'm not into that kind of gross stuff." Sonic replied sarcastically before releasing a rambunctious chuckle.

"You disgust me."

* * *

After a relatively peaceful walk through the forest, the signs of stress seemed to dissipate with the passing wind. It was still present of course, but with the help a few uplifting jokes and some of Shadow's traditional shyness, they seemed to cope better with the inevitable outcome of this visit to Eggman's laboratory. After a half an hour of non-stop chattering and sometimes even laughing, the ebony stopped in his tracks to take a look around the area. They didn't seem to be any closer than they were before and he gave Sonic a look of slight frustration. He just now figured out that the azure probably had no idea what he was going.

"If you were lost, you could have just **_told_** me, idiot." Shadow pestered with an obnoxious sigh as he annoyingly poked Sonic's cheek.

"What are you talking about?! I'm not lost... Just taking the scenic route. I mean look at all the beautiful shrubbery and trees! It's about time you went on an adventure after all." He countered charismatically as he forcefully grabbed the ebony's hand before kissing it softly.

"Oh, I'm sorry that I value my life. How about you cut the shit and go _the right way_." The charcoal hedgehog replied embarrassedly as the obvious blush on his face amused the other.

Sonic smiled slightly before grabbing the ebony's little head. Shadow immediately reacted by freezing in his position, not moving an inch.

"Um, I don't like being put in a headlock position like this... Please, let go." The ebony begged weakly as he had a look of slight terror in his eyes.

Sonic carefully turned his head to the right as the charcoal hedgehog chuckled awkwardly. Right in front of him was a huge factory-like laboratory that was so obvious that Shadow was amazed he didn't spot it.

"Right there dumby. Guess you were _distracted_ by my good looks, huh?" The cobalt teased playfully as he gently grabbed one of the ebony's quills before twirling it seductively.

"Shut up and get inside..." Shadow replied intensely as he shoved the cobalt through the metal doors.

Inside was a long corridor that led to many specialty rooms. They all seemed to be robot/badnik related. But right in front of them was an obvious camera hanging from the ceiling. Sonic scratched his head softly before taking another step. As soon as he did so, Shadow pulled him back to where he was before frowning skeptically.

"There might be lasers in here, Sonic. Must you always run blindly into any dangerous situation?" He growled aggressively before yanking his arm forcefully.

"I can handle **anything** , Shadz! C'mon you know me." He replied confidently before laughing in his typical egotistical manner.

All the sudden, a bright green light flashed them as a little laser ran down both of them.

"See, I **told** you this was a bad idea!" The ebony whined angrily before obnoxiously rolling his eyes in annoyance.

"State your name!" Interrupted a cold robot voice as both the hedgehogs scrambled to try and locate whatever was speaking.

"Um... Sonic?" The azure asked mockingly as he was incredibly shocked that the robot didn't know who the great Sonic the Hedgehog was.

" **I ain't telling you shit!** " Shadow shouted powerfully.

"Voices detected. Sonic and Shadow the Hedgehog. Dr. Robotnik would like to have a conversation with you. Please enter room three on your left. There should be a television where you may come in contact with him. Have a wonderful day."

"What egghead?! Too much a **pussy** to talk to me in person now that you know that I'm just as powerful as I said I was?!" The cobalt exclaimed forcefully before releasing an egotistical laugh of triumph.

"Sonic. _Please_... Your ego is big enough as it is." The ebony responded sarcastically before gently pinching the azures cheek.

"Baby my ego is as big as I want it to be, thank you very much." Sonic countered slyly before blowing the ebony a narcissistic kiss.

"Well aren't you charming." Shadow replied mockingly.

Sonic started walking towards the room as he dragged the ebony along him. Shadow seemed quite skeptical about the situation. Why the doctor wanted to talk to them in a separate area seemed quite strange. And as they were walking, his mind trailed back to a thought that had been brought up so many times prior.

 _(Even Ivo is scared of him now... So should I be?)_

It had been bothering him for a while now. He knew he loved Sonic but something was always off about him. If he was pretending to love him however, the ebony knew he would show his true colors eventually... However, that thought almost paralyzed him. Sonic could really hurt him emotionally. He was taking a huge risk... But after a general thought of the outcome, if he was somehow telling the truth, it made him almost feel like the risk was worth taking. Finally, after what seemed like forever, since Shadow was desperately trying to pull in the opposite direction, they entered the small room. It almost seemed like it was created for this exact purpose. It barely had any furniture but a couch, television, a few plants and a coffee table. Sonic quickly plopped onto the sofa as he felt rather exhausted and Shadow politely sat next to him, almost as if he was afraid to disturb him. The cobalt opened his eyes as he stared sweetly at Shadow's proper poster. He sneakily slid his hand around the ebony's waist while the ebony sighed in slight embarrassment.

" _Really_? This isn't the time to be flirting with me." The ebony groaned as he released a half serious growl.

"Oh trust me. You'll know when I'm flirting with you. I'm merely doing what I'm supposed to be doing here, as your prince and as your lover." The azure replied sweetly and protectively before pulling the somewhat annoyed charcoal hedgehog closer to him.

"And that is...?" Shadow replied skeptically.

"Making you feel safe. That is what I am supposed to do and that is what I want to do. You deserve it after all you have been through." The sapphire hedgehog replied lovingly before sneaking a gentle kiss onto the ebony's lips.

Even though Shadow's expression remained the same, his face seemed to light up the moment Sonic said those words. The azure knew what he was doing, of course. If there was anything he was good at, it was reading between the lines. He knew exactly what Shadow needed to be happy. Being emotionless most of the time makes it difficult enough to read a person's expressions, so he had trained himself quite well to look closely at every movement and expression. They sat in silence for a few seconds before the ebony moved just so his head was resting on the cobalt's shoulder.

"Thank you... Honestly."

* * *

Sloboda (Slo-bo-dah): Means freedom in Croatian and is the official name of the little town Sonic and the rest of the crew live in. The entire country is named Jednak which means equal in Croatian. 


	39. Chapter 39

Amy, Rouge, Rob, and Tails walked swiftly through the thick orchard of trees and shrubbery. The beauty of Angel Island was exceptionally spectacular. And because it was several thousand feet above the ground, there were plants, animals and geological features unseen on any other part of Mobius. The jungle was always shrouded in a beautiful sticky mist that always settled around dawn, this leaving an almost white, and snow like coat on the forest floor. However, the crew knew there was no time to sight see and Tails gave an especially annoyed glare to a certain brunet hedgehog who was staring and commenting on every little spectacle. Everything from the beautiful open caves, to the trees hundreds of feet high, to the small creatures that dwelled beneath his feet. He picked one up as it was passing through and decided to name it Jedriti. It didn't particularly like being held. The little squirrel-like creature was used to gliding in the intense winds of the island, not being mangled by some full grown adult who knew better. Unfortunately, Rob didn't get the message and squeezed it tightly as a means to not let it escape.

"Are you _really_ going to keep playing with that wild animal? It might have some disease." The kitsune bellowed feverishly as he gently shoved the many species of plants out of his way so that they may progress.

"Who said I didn't already have many diseases?" Rob replied slyly before gently petting the top of the creatures head and making really childish kissy faces at it.

"TOO MUCH INFORMATION... Not those kinds of diseases, you idiot. **Quickly** , release it to its natural environment before the AIPA gets on your ass." Tails countered before waving at the rest of the group to keep moving forward.

"The what?" The brunet hedgehog questioned as he looked behind him to glance at Amy and give her a very confused tilt of the head.

"The Angel Island Preservation Association. They are really careful in keeping this unique place beautiful and clean. Of course, Knuckles being the guardian of the master emerald is its leader. And you don't _actually_ have diseases right?" She responded hyperactively before looking back at him worriedly as if she really thought the answer might change her thoughts on him.

"Why does it matter Miss Rose?" Rob answered skeptically as he quickly wrapped one of his arms around her shoulders since the other was holding the little creature who had given up hope on ever being released.

"UM, well it's good for a woman to know. Don't you think?" She asked shyly before smiling in a slightly awkward manner.

"I can assure you Amy, I am completely clean." He replied almost sweetly as he finally released the little creature into its ecosystem.

He felt a little sad as he watched it flap away in the wind while glancing over to smile at his new lady friend. Their eyes seemed to meet in the most peculiar manner. Not necessarily in a romantic way but in more of a longing fashion. What they both were longing for was unclear to both of them but Rob knew, right away, that it wasn't going to be going away anytime soon. By the time Rouge had caught up to the rest of the group, he and Amy had been staring at each other awkwardly for over a minute.

"Bullshit... That just can't be the case. You "frolic" more than I do. From one man to another. There is absolutely no way you didn't catch SOMETHING." The sassy bat expressed mockingly before giving the brunet hedgehog a slight nudge in the back.

 _(Why are you guys staring at each other like that to begin with?)_

"Unlike you, I'm a dude who likes dudes. I **NEED** to be careful. Get my drift?" Rob replied patronizingly before giving her a harder push back.

This caused Rouge to go toppling backward onto the slightly sticky forest ground before sighing in utter frustration. Her brand new set of hiking clothes had been practically ruined.

"Women can get it too, you know." She replied irritably as she brushed the leaves and mud off her new outfit before standing.

"Can we please focus on the path in front of us? It's hard to concentrate on this infernal contraption when my fellow crew members are chatting away behind me." Tails interrupted as he glanced forcefully behind himself to check on all the ruckus.

"You're just jealous that your not in on the conversation. Maybe if you were **nicer** I would talk to you more." The brunet hedgehog replied obnoxiously before sneakily turning his hand into a little hand puppet and softly whispering to Amy.

"Look at me. I'm Tails, Sonics only best buddy in the whole world and I have no concept of proper manners. I only live to please my senpaiiii." He whispered while making the hand puppet talk and move in a very mocking manner.

Amy's face exploded into a smile as she desperately tried to hold back the laughter and tears. He was right in so many ways.

"Don't give me your sass. We're here by the way." Tails replied sternly before giving the brunet a very strong glare.

"Do you think he heard me, Rose?" He asked quietly to make sure that the kitsune didn't hear.

"I think he would have exploded if you did." She replied back, giggling slightly, as she watched the brunet signal a single nod in return.

As Rob pushed through the last of my dense brush, he arrived at a beautiful open field. It was littered with stunning flowers and special stones with indentations and writings. Some of them were dozens of feet tall and in the middle of this beautiful landscape was a huge stone altar. The stairs had little pieces of stone chipped off as they were probably thousands of years old and at the very top was a rather obvious bright red echidna. He lied against his large green emerald, basking and relaxing in the midday sun.

"Hay Knuckles! We need your help!" The kitsune quickly propelled himself up the steps using his two tails to fly before waving to the irritable echidna.

"Haven't I helped _enough_ you pest? Its Rob's job to protect the royals not me. I'm only here to protect the Master Emerald and I'm sick and tired of being forced to leave my post." He replied sturnfully before returning back to his relaxing position and attempting to ignore the fox.

"No no. We need help with these readings here. Do you know of any small objects possibly underground that could emit this strong aura of Chaos energy?" Tails explained quickly before pointing onto the screen at two bright points of concentrated Chaos energy.

"Not sure... It might be something left over from the ancients... There _is_ a way to get to the original Chaos Temple and it looks like that might be where it's located." He responded before immediately taking back what he said.

Information like that was incredibly classified and it was not the best idea to give it out to just anyone.

"Great! How do we get there?" The kitsune exploded happily as he finally got something to go his way for probably the first time that day.

The rest of the crew finally made it up the rest of the steps and were all gasping for air. Not only because the steps seemed to go up forever, but the altitude was causing lack of oxygen supply. This about the time when Rob realized he was still exhausted from the day before and Amy had to almost hold him up.

"Oh no no no. You will **not** be able to go without an archeologist who knows the area. Not even I can really promise that there is a way in and out. Plus, you might destroy precious artifacts and the AIPA would get on my ass." Knuckles muttered feverishly as he desperately wished he didn't spill such valuable information.

"Knuckles... **PLEASE**. The fate of Sonic rests in these items. They're our last hope. If we don't get them, I don't know if we will be able to protect him..." The kitsune replied sadly before pouting his bottom lip.

For a few minutes, only the powerful winds of this incredibly high island could be heard as Knuckles obviously had his thinking cap on. It was hard making a decision like this. What was the right thing to do? Chaos would wish the protection of its property and the Royal family.

"You have to promise to not touch **anything** that looks sacred.  Do you understand? There are some ancient belief books in there that are thousands of years old. I would get you a guide but I have no idea if I can get one on such short notice. I make myself very clear, correct?" Knuckles enunciated clearly before looking over to the exhausted and brunet hedgehog.

He seemed to slowly be getting his breath back but Amy did look very concerned as she talked to him slowly making sure he didn't pass out on them.

"Yes... Thank you, _honestly_." Tails replied as he put his hand on his heart before sighing in utter relief.

"Rob knows the drill quite well... I can trust that you will keep the kids in line, right?" Knuckles emphasized to the brunet before watching the brunet push his lady friend aside as he started to stand straight.

"Ya, ya. I'm surprised you trust me so much, though. This fox still doesn't get the idea that I'm on his side." He replied obnoxiously before annoyingly pointing his thumb at the irritated kitsune.

"Tails, _please_ , by all means, respect Miran's guardian. He was picked by Chaos himself to do this job and for good reason. Even if you don't believe in destiny, I think he has enough stress to deal with as it is. Now let me see if I can get the Master Emerald to open up the entrance to the underground sacred temple." He explained before turning to the Master emerald and opening his arms up to begin his prayer.

"The servers are the seven Chaos... Chaos is power, enriched by the heart... The controller exists to unify the chaos! Please allow safe passage of Miran's guardian and his team through the temple." He exploded passionately as the rest of the time watched in complete ah.

Quickly a very low intense rumbling noise could be heard on the side of the altar as the Master emerald glowed a vibrant green. Waves of intense Chaos energy swept down the stairs as the hero's stood cowering in slight fear. After a few minutes, the sounds diminished radically and the crew stood up ready for further instruction. Rob took a large gulp as he looked down at to the forest below. The left side of the altar opened swiftly as the crew mentally prepared themselves for a dangerous venture.

"The entrance has been opened. Now remember, you are not to touch anything besides the items you came for. I do not want the AIPI getting on my ass for destroyed public property. Also, stay close to Rob. He knows a bit about the history so he should know, in general, where to go." Knuckles explained clearly before returning back to his typical relaxing pose against his beautiful emerald.

"Says the guy that had to be **TOLD** there are a prince and princess of Chaos." Rob replied before snickering slightly as he thought this was a pretty good insult.

"Don't get _started_ with me, smart guy. Some things get lost in translation and when you have something passed down for many generations, information gets lost and sometimes even replaced. Now get going! Sonic's life and the life of this planet rests in your hands. Away with you." He finished firmly as a flick of his hand gave quick notification that the crew better get going.

"Okay. Thank again, Knuckles. Keep the emerald safe." Amy replied kindly before walking over to Rob and nodding at him slightly.

The brunet responded with a slight wave, commanding the group to follow. They quickly rushed down the stone stairs as they all ran to the side of the altar. A secret door had pried itself open. Inside the complete darkness was some very ancient stairs that were barely visible.

"I wonder how **deep** it goes... They must have wanted to keep this place safe. It looks _absolutely_ horrifying." Rouge contemplated out loud before looking over at Rob for some kind of answer.

"Well, I assume it goes as deep as the island or else we would fall down to the town." He replied slyly before releasing a half-sarcastic laugh.

"You're funny... Anyway. Anyone have some kind of lighting device?" Tails said sarcastically as he looked through his bag before noticing he didn't bring a flashlight.

"You said to bring tools to go _underground_ and... You didn't bring a lighting device." Amy replied annoyedly before crossing her arms in slight disbelief.

 _(Of all the things you could have forgotten, Tails.)_

"Don't worry babe. I gotcha covered! Rob to the rescue!" The brunet hedgehog replied confidently before giving her a slightly flirtatious wink.

Abruptly, Rob closed his eyes tightly and concentrated very carefully. Within a few second a bright light glimmered from his rings and into his hands.

"Woah... That's **so** cool." Rouge and Amy responded in pure wonder as both they're eyes beamed with curiosity.

"Chaos energy in its purest form. A little thing Shadow and I have perfected over the years. Now, is everyone ready?" The brunet asked heroically as he felt his ego growing larger every minute while he was around these easily impressed women.

"You're not going to explain how your hand just randomly burst into flames?" Tails replied back skeptically as he noticed no signs of his gloves burning meaning it must not actually have been that hot.

"Maybe when we have more time but right now **I** have a prince to save!" Rob replied assertively before taking a large deep breath and gazing down the long stairwell to what looked like hell.

They all glared at him frustratedly as even Amy seemed to kind of brush off his comment.

"We... I meant _we_..." The brunet chuckled slightly as he nudged both his lady friends uncomfortably.

"Sure sure..." Tails replied sarcastically as rolled his eyes causing Rob to growl in response.

They all collectively took a large and deep breath as they started down the very ancient and somewhat dangerous steps. They followed close to Rob as he was the only source of light when they got to the bottom. The place smelled like old almost mildew-like paper and damp soil. It was filled with dozens of little rooms each serving some kind of purpose unknown to the crew. Even though it was hard to see, the team knew it was practically barren with nothing left on the walls. Probably meaning pillagers came in and ripped the place apart, such a shame. As they walked through little critters crawled along the floors and walls scaring both the females into almost horrific silence. Most of the doors to these small rooms were locked shut but a few were wide open, allowing the group to see into them. They looked fairly empty but all had a small bookcase, little pedestal only 6 inches above the ground and a blurry, old, huge and expensive looking painting. What could have possibly been the use of these rooms... Finally, they arrived at the biggest set of doors they had seen so far. Both of them were covered in gems and the chaos emerald locater started beeping at an insane frequency. They all tried pushing against them but they would not budge a centimeter.

"Ugh, we came through **all** these icky bugs for nothing..." Amy whined sadly as she tried to brush off all the cobwebs strung across her dress.

"I wouldn't give up so easily Miss Rose." Rob replied slightly caringly as he gently closed his eyes before concentrating deeply like he did before.

He could feel the power traveling from the bottom of his spine and rocketing up to his inhibitor rings. Before long they were complete charged and the brunet was ready to release.

" **Chaos spear**!" He exclaimed as the forceful beam of light collided with the door, not leaving a dent in it.

"What the HELL do you think you're doing?! You're going to destroy this beautiful artifact of ancient Mobian life!" Tails exploded as he smacked the back of the brunet's head before growling in complete ferocity.

"If that was the case, it would have been destroyed years ago. You see how very little stuff is left? I bet people have tried desperately to destroy this door. Now look." Rob countered before standing his ground and nodding his head.

A few clicking noises could be heard inside the door as one click led to another. Finally, the door unlocked itself and all the members rejoiced... Well besides Rob of course.

"What's wrong hon...?" Rouge queried gently as she noticed the immediate panic and fear in his eyes when his plan actually worked.

"Well it's just... **My entire life**... I have been waiting to figure out what everything means... Why I was created with no family or bloodline... Why I have been chosen for this really challenging and frustrating purpose. This might just give me the answers. I mean I know almost everything about Shadow but I have little knowledge of how I was involved with him." The brunet hedgehog stuttered slightly as he couldn't seem to regain control of this powerful sense of terror.

"Are you saying you're **scared** of knowing the truth?" The bat replied calmly as she gently patted Rob's back.

" _Absolutely_ horrified. But I must for both my princess and Voziti." He answered strongly before gazing over to Tails and Amy before taking a large deep breath.

They all looked at each other before nodding... Whatever was behind that door had not been looked at in probably thousands of years... They knew it was going to be big. Finally, after some mild delay, they placed their hands against the door and pushed as hard as they could. Squeaky noises of a very ancient door echoed through the sacred temple as the door slowly opened. Finally revealing what exactly the ancients were studying this entire time... They could barely see anything at the moment but after some general touching, they noticed there were torches hanging around everywhere. Rob quickly used chaos spear to light them... One at a time, before they could see everything. And the first thing Rob saw was a huge beautiful watercolor painting made with only the best paint. In the picture were five posing figures. The only character he really recognized was Miran, standing in her beautiful and elegant midnight black dress. He also recognized what looked to be like a younger version of himself. Placed right beside Princess Miran was a golden hedgehog with a very vibrant green princely outfit on with very crisp emerald green irises. Finally, Rob tried to interpret the two other members which he hadn't really recognized. After a few seconds of contemplation, his eyes widened as he could not believe what he was witnessing. They looked eerily familiar and he took a large gasp of air as he realized who they probably represented.

 **"How is this possible... Maria... AND... Ivo?!"**


	40. Chapter 40

For a few minutes, there was complete silence. Both hedgehogs seemed impeccably comfortable as they sat softly listening to each other's soft but subtle breaths. Sonic's mind started to drift into some kind of dreamland as the sense of wellbeing seemed eerily familiar. A wellbeing he used to feel a very long time ago.

* * *

The air was quite stale as the scent of chalk roamed throughout the tight yet sufficient gym. Somehow, the bearer it got the more charming it became. It was just enough for the little cobalt who was trying to accomplish the near impossible.

Perfection

He stood at the end of a seemingly long runway as he gently rubbed his chalk filled hands together. He was so tiny and the vaulting table placed eighty or so feet in front of him seemed so daunting. But he knew what he was there for. One reason and one reason **alone** , to help the desperate and futile place he called home. Jednak had been going through major and dramatic economic and government changes and the lack of funds was very apparent. The bleak area was surrounded with few and barely function apparatuses. But that was no distraction to the little hedgehog. He could feel the adrenaline running through his veins as he took a lengthy step back, preparing himself to dart. He took one last deep breath before exploding down the runway, he ran for only a few seconds before realizing he was obviously going way too fast. Within seconds, he could feel the impact of the table hitting his torso, causing him to collapse at the feet of the springboard, he would have used if he actually had control over his movement. He huffed and puffed a few more times before feeling unbelievable frustration and anger. He had done this vault so many times and made an absolute fool of himself.

"Now now... You're not going to get _anywhere_ at this rate, now are you, Sonic?" A warm male voice echoed as footsteps could be heard approaching the nearly crying child.

"I have told you countless times that the vaulting table is not something to be feared or hated. It's your **friend** remember?" The warm voice was attached to a short yet slightly pudgy young man with red-ish brown hair and beautiful emerald eyes just like his star pupil.

"I'm not afraid of it... I'm just frustrated... I was doing so well." The young hedgehog mumbled as he brushed himself off before sitting on his knees as he was told to do when listening to his instructor.

"Well mistakes happen, we just need to make sure we fix them before they become a habit. Plus, don't you remember what I said was the most important part of being a gymnast?" He replied gently before giving his little hedgehog student a soft yet sufficient nudge of the shoulder.

"Being perfect under the most immense amount of pressure?" The small azure hedgehog responded as he released an incredibly horrified sigh.

"That may be what other trainers tell you but if you're going to make this dream happen, you need to remember one thing. And that is to enjoy what you are doing. Yes, this may seem very frustrating, painful and even torturing. However, you are doing something that very few other children at eight can do. Now get up and let's do this again. Remember to really get your shoulders and hands ontop of the horse. Don't forget to really bend your back but keep your arms as straight as possible so you get a really good block." He smiled caringly before tenderly patting the top of the child's head, as he did so, he walked over to the vault, fixing it with incredible ease to where it was supposed to be.

He lifted Sonic up by his hand and brushed off the chalk and dust strewn across his body. The faintest yet most genuine smile could be seen from the azure as he rubbed his teary eyes with his arm. He then confidently walked over to the end of the runway as he turned around only to see the young red-haired human at the other side of the vault beside the mat. The child took another deep breath before, once again, bolting down the runway. However, this time, he slowed down and concentrated on what needed to be done instead of worrying about failing. He then hopped onto the little springboard which bounced him up to the vault. He swiftly planted his hands down before blocking and doing a front flip. The man watched his star pupil flip near flawlessly before landing on the mat, sticking it cold. It may not have looked hard but for such a young child he was more than impressed.

" **There we go! That's how ya do it**!" He erupted before swooping in to give the little child a huge bear hug.

"Do that three more times and I think we can call it a day. _Absolutely_ stunning." The man almost strangled the child as a slightly embarrassed laugh escaped the little hedgehog's mouth.

"Thanks... Mr. Robotnik." Sonic grumbled frustratedly as the man gave a slight and unsatisfied look before looking in the other direction as if he was confused.

"I'm sorry _what_? I didn't hear you..." He spoke sarcastically before patting the child's cheek gently.

"Ugh... I mean... Thanks, **_dad_**..." The little azure murmured softly as the word dad was obviously forced. But he knew the older man wanted to hear it even if it wasn't necessarily true.

"That's more like it." He replied gently before finally releasing the child to return back to the end of the runway.

* * *

Shadows ears perked up as he heard a very gentle chuckle from the azure and opened his eyes for a second to look up at his charming lover. For a minute, his eyes were closed but soon enough, Shadow saw a pair of very protective, loving emerald eyes and quickly glanced away as the look almost frightened him.

"Did I **scare** you hon?" The cobalt queried softly as he nuzzled his partner's cheek with his lips.

"Oh no... I just. I dunno. You always look like you're going to dominate me or something." Shadow replied even softer and the hairs on the back of his neck stood straight up. Whether it was because of pleasure or fear, it still made him feel slightly uncomfortable.

"Only if you _want_ me to, my dear." He whispered back as another chuckle escaped his lips.

Shadow's face remained slightly concerned as the joke didn't really amuse him. He knew Sonic was just trying to laugh it off, but in the end, he knew that the cobalt wanted control. Specifically, he wanted to control HIM. How strange for the prince of freedom to want something like that...

Before the ebony could really think about it further a flash flicked on the tv screen and Shadow flew off the sapphire hedgehog in sheer terror. He flew to the other side of the couch as he wrapped up into a little ball to protect himself.

"Did I really make you that upset?" The azure responded as he reached his hand out apologetically before gently resting his arm on the ebony's lap.

"Not you stupid! What if the doctor sees us all _cuddly_ and stuff?" Shadow exploded as he embarrassedly crossed his arms before looking away from his lover.

"Then he will see us being all cuddly and stuff. What's the big deal anyway? He won't judge or probably care what we do with each other. Remember, he knew that we were the prince and princess so he should be expecting us to be romantic." The cobalt replied slyly as he put his hand under the ebony's chin before staring sweetly into his ever so laminating crimson eyes.

"That's not the issue..." Shadow replied hypnotically and slowly as he felt himself drowning in that enticing feeling he was oh so familiar with.

" **EHEM**!" A loud low voice projected throughout the room as the hedgehogs looked around in total confusion.

They both looked over at the tv screen as they saw a chubby and slightly balding egglike creature. He stood with one hand resting on his cobalt creation, Celik, as he continued to speak.

"Right here. Enjoying each other's company? Sounds downright _precious_. Now we should get down to business. I assume you are here to battle my little son here. I must warn you, unlike you, I actually trained him well and he will be the toughest battle you will ever face." Eggman spoke clearly as he gently patted Čelik before taking a long deep breath.

"What **battle**?! You didn't tell me I was supposed to battle him Shadow. I just wanted some damn information." Sonic erupted as he groaned frustratedly while eying his lover.

"I was going to tell you... But I just couldn't do it..." The ebony replied passively as he glanced away from both the fuming males as he calmly cleared his throat.

"How could you hide something like this?!" Both Eggman and Sonic exploded as both of them agreed on something for once.

Čelik eyes quickly got big as he turned to Ivo with an incredibly stern face as if to say _you insult my princess one more time and you're going to be an omelet buddy._

"Fine, I'll explain it again since SOMEONE forgot to tell his hubby the situation. Anywho, two Vozitis cannot live on this planet for very long before everything falls apart. I have raised this little guy since his creation to be an efficient and moral leader. But I believe we should let Chaos decide who shall lead the world to a new and better place by placing you too into an honest and fair battle." The doctor explained clearly as his little son looked at him with slight hesitance as he really didn't want to fight this other hedgehog.

"You do realize Chaos doesn't _like_ you playing god right? Why in the  world would he allow some creation to become a leader when it could have the real thing? Sure, I have some mental issues but we all do here in Jednak, including **you**. What sane person would do something like this?" Sonic responded angrily as he almost smashed the screen to a million pieces by darting at it, luckily his ebony mate caught him before he could strike.

"Shadow... Could you leave us alone for a few minutes? I think we need to have a one on one conversation and you too Čelik." Ivo asked politely before gently pushing his little son out of the room.

"Oh um. Of course. I'll be outside." Shadow replied before nodding to his cobalt as if to ask _you going to be alright_? His partner responded with another solid nod before watching his princess walk out the door.

Ivo's eyes drifted down as he knew this was a horrible thing to do but it had to be done. The sake of all of Mobius rests in the hands of two leaders and they needed to know exactly how to handle the situation.

"I have apologized _enough_ Sonic. We both know I didn't know what I was doing. I was young, you were young. Unfortunately, I made some shitty decisions." Robotnik expressed sympathetically before releasing a large and somewhat emotional sigh.

Very rarely did he ever show emotion, but this was something he knew he needed to show. He raised this kid from when he was a little baby, trained him to be a world champion and there's nothing he could to change some of his bad decisions.

" **NO**. It has nothing to do with _how_ you treated me. I thought of you as a father and a really great father at that... And then you decided to let the government rule your thoughts and control me like a puppet." The cobalt explained clearly and sternly before lying against the back on the couch in thought.

"What the **hell** do you think I've been trying to make up for, Sonic? For almost ten years I have been trying to start a new regime where Jednakians have a chance to live happy and secure lives. **BUT A CERTAIN SOMEONE KEEPS STOPPING ME!** " Ivo yelled in slight anger as he was so tired of having this conversation.

Every time it would be exactly the same. They would argue and it would help nothing. There is nothing he could say to this dumb kid to make him understand his motives.

"I have no choice. If I didn't, I would be living on the street like I did when I was a baby. You're the one who made me train instead of going to school. I would think a genius would make better decisions than that." The azure pestered before snickering in slight disgust.

"You know I would take care of you. Do you have **no** faith in me? Sure you're annoying and always trying to destroy my plans but I would never just leave you on the street. I maybe a crazy scientist but I'm not that heartless Sonic. Not the mention that I raised you for ten something years and then you decided to run off. I have good reason to be upset with you." Ivo argued irritably before crossing his arms and growling softly.

"Take **_care_** of me?! You're willing to let your own abomination kill me for the sake of the rest of the world! Do you have  any idea how that makes me feel?!" The sapphire hedgehog exploded as one very slight tear came trickling out his eye as he could not believe the level of betrayal he was feeling.

Sure Ivo was always battling him and even tried attempting to "kill him". But he never outright made it apparent that he wanted Sonic dead. He had never felt so infuriated in his entire life. This kid was going to get the **absolute** worst of him.

"My job is to protect Voziti. Whichever survives will be who I follow. And if you win, I will do whatever you tell me to."

"That's not what I want... I just want to _survive_ , Egghead! Like you and any other person on this planet." The azure whimpered slightly as he could see a slight flicker of sympathy and even shame in Ivo's eyes. But it was quickly replaced with his harsh, unaffected, cold stare that seemed to follow him wherever he went.

As general silence filled the room, the cobalt knew that the Eggman he knew when he was a kid was officially dead. Or at least buried so deep inside him that he could no longer find it. Of course, Sonic knew that Egghead had changed... But this was the point when he realized he may never see that other Ivo again.

"To be _honest_ , I really don't think you'll die. I have a hard time believing Chaos would allow such a thing. However, this is for the sake of the entire world. I was way too young and didn't know how to be a father or even what a father was. I pushed you to the point where you lost all faith in me and for that I cannot be more apologetic. But now I created Čelik and I have learned my lesson." Ivo finally broke the silence as he wanted to at least show some level of understanding. But it was very small and he knew if he let out any further emotion he would be showing his 'enemy' weakness.

"You're trying to make up for what happened by attempting to **murder** me. Do you not understand how messed up that is?" Sonic erupted as he actually got to pound the living crap out of the television in frustration, thankfully it didn't break. He did wish it was actually stupid Ivo's head, though.

"I do... But the lives of the many outweigh the lives of the few. I am doing what I believe should be done." Eggman explained with intense and perfect articulation.

"What the **hell** happened man?! You were the **ONLY** one that cared. The absolute only! And now... Now I have no idea if I will ever see that Ivo ever again." The azure answered as he gently rubbed his fingertips into his eyes.

"We all change Sonic. It's a part of growing up. I was still a child on the inside and now I am an adult." Robotnik enlightened as he darted his eyes up in an attempt to continue holding in his emotions.

"Being an adult doesn't mean you have to hide your true emotions. You were so sympathetic Ivo..." Sonic whined slightly as he pushed his arms to his sides before standing straight.

"Look, I would love to sit here and fight about the past all day but what happened has happened and there is nothing we can do about it now. I said that I'm sorry, but you are **not** trained to be a leader. You either fight Čelik or watch the world crumble. It's your decision." Ivo replied sternly as he attempted to finally end this very frustrating conversation.

"I was going to kill the little shit anyway. I just really wanted to know what the actual hell is going through your head to think that this is an okay thing to do. You were a cop remember?" The cobalt continued as he tried to get just a little more information out of his _enemy_.

"We will not talk about the past **any** further. I did what I needed to do. I will give you a day to decide. Talk it over with your ebony princess."

Suddenly the tv flashed off and Sonic was left alone in complete silence. His eyes watered a little as this was the first time in years he actually felt like crying. Maybe it was better being emotionless sometimes... He knew, in reality, he was nothing more than a tool. Either to win medals, protect the town or create peace. Strangely, at this time of shame and anger, a warm feeling bubbled inside him as he looked around. He behind himself only to see the door slightly open with one singular teary crimson eye peaking in the crack.

"Um. Are you okay? I heard yelling and I got worried." A sweet and soft voice echoed, immediately bringing the azures blood pressure down.

"You suck at lying. I know you must have heard the entire thing by the way you're talking." The cobalt teased slightly as his mind was already put at ease. It's amazing what Shadow's voice can do to his body.

"I'm sorry. I just needed to know. Are you mad at me?" The ebony continued as the slight hesitation brought a smile to Sonic's face.

"Oh yes... _Very_ mad... Infuriated even. How can you stand being so cute?" He joked sarcastically before giving the ebony a gentle wink.

"C'mon... Don't tease me... Be honest." Shadow whined as he didn't want to open the door until he was certain that the sapphire hedgehog was calm and under control.

"I am not mad at all hon. Come here. We need to talk about the situation okay?" Sonic murmured sweetly as his voice went back to its traditional protective sound.

" _Alright_..." Shadow whispered softly as he opened the door and gently walked in only to be tackled by his cobalt hero.

Sonic rubbed his slightly teary eyes into the ebony's chest fur as he felt almost completely better. As he did so, he felt an arm wrap around his back at pet his head gently.

"I love you... Shadow." Sonic purred gently as the three words seem to melt right into the ebony's heart.

"Me too..." 


	41. Chapter 41

Rob stood back a few feet as he took a really long look at the beautiful painting. Amy, Rouge and Tails decided to look around the place a little. It was a relatively simple area with only a couple doors and the one giant work of art. Rob was not all that interested in anything else but staring at this glorious painting obviously composed with the utmost care. It showed a Miran and Voziti in their beautiful and traditional ancient mobian attire but it also included what looked to be a young Ivo and Maria. How in the world did the ancients know about Ivo? Hell, how did they know about Maria? It didn't make any sense. He looked over to the paintings interpretation of himself who happened to be standing next to his Princess in a simple but elegant outfit. He was obviously very young in the picture. Roughly about eight years old or so. Ivo stood next to Voziti, he also looked to be in his mid to late teens. And of course, Maria's beautiful golden hair out shown the entire picture. She happened to be standing in the middle with a soft and elegant white dress on with a lovely hair piece. This was all so incredibly shocking and everyone in the area was silent. They all looked to Rob for answers. Something... **ANYTHING**. Explaining the presence of both Maria and Ivo... However, before they all could really think about it further a loud thump could be heard from one of the doors besides the painting. As soon as the group got their bearing a large machine like creature leaped out from another room and pointed some kind of firing arm at them.

"What business do you come with, Nedaće? And why have you brought these _peasants_ with you." The robot spoke firmly and assertively as he pointed his ancient gun right at their faces.

He was a very simple robot but was apparently very intelligent. His body was covered with long strands of weeds and vines that seemed to be almost crusted onto his slick metal cover. His general form was that of an old-fashion badnik and he wasn't too keen with the situation at hand.

"We have come to locate these strong chaos signals and we..." Tails spoke desperately before being immediately cut off by a yell from the robot.

" **Silence**! I do not speak to followers only our leaders. What is your purpose Nedaće? Speak or I shall be forced to escort all of you back to where you once came." The machine threatened coldly as his monotone voice made his actions very clear.

"Voziti is in trouble... He needs one of these items that emits strong energy to fight artificial Voziti. He must win or everything will fall apart. Including, everything we have worked so hard to accomplish!" Rob expressed fondly as he clasped his hands together, almost begging in the process.

"Voziti? Where is Mozak?" The robot spoke in slight confusion.

"Who? I have never heard that name..." The brunet hedgehog clarified desperately as he really didn't know what he was going to do if he couldn't get the items.

The others stood silently as they all knew that this was Rob's job to handle. However, Amy placed a single hand on the brunet's shoulder and he responded with a slight nod.

"I'm afraid without him here I can only give you one of the sacred items." The machine replied matter-of-factly as he bowed his head slightly to the brunet.

"That's fine... Just something! Please... _**Anything**_ to help him..." Rob exploded emotionally as tears finally started trickling down his face.

"I shall do so. Please wait here Nedaće..." The robot finished as he provided a gentle bow before walking over to the beautiful picture and pressing some kind of button on the wall.

Suddenly a chamber opened beneath the flooring and two identical pedestals rose from the ground. One was black and red and the other was green and gold. As soon as the pedestals were secure, two items came out of them. One emerald green and the other bright crimson red. They were gemlike in shape but also kind of see through, as if the middle was made of only powerful chaos energy. The ring of intense power circling around each gem seemed to be incredibly attracted to each other as they almost morphed into one single stream of energy. This caused a huge chain reaction and in a matter of seconds, the Chaos Emerald Locator beeped at an incredibly high frequency before quickly shutting off.

"That must be it... Thank you, Rob." Rouge thanked kindly as she gently rubbed his back.

The look in his eyes was astonishing. The level of exhaustion, frustration and fear was more than apparent. This was certainly one of Rouge's favorite things about him. His feelings were always expressed in full bloom. He glanced over to her and gave her a slight nod followed by a genuine smile. It's been a while he's felt any level of comfort, that's for sure.

"Anytime..." He replied forcefully as even words were becoming too much to comprehend.

The robot quickly took the red gem and handed it to the slightly loopy and dazed brunet hedgehog and place it down in his palm. It glowed with beautiful luminosity as its power brought a certain level of _peace_ to his mind...

"This is the only one I can give to you without Mozak's permission. Now please leave this sacred place. We do not wish for history to repeat itself." The machine explained as he pointed to the nearest exit before pushing some kind of button on the front of his chest.

" **History**? You didn't even tell us what this was?" Amy pointed out as she finally had gained the confidence to confront this scary looking machine.

Suddenly the robot shut himself down and they were no longer able to speak with him... Everyone looked at one another frustratedly before finally giving up any attempt to get more information.

"We don't have any time to waste... Let's just leave and get this to Sonic." Tails murmured to Rob as he signaled to the rest of the crew to get going.

"Alright... I really want to know what in the world is going on, though. But I suppose this isn't a good time to learn." Rob replied as he started leading the group out of the sacred underground temple.

* * *

Sonic and Shadow had been communicating in the little room where Dr. Ivo had spoken to Sonic and Shadow had almost spilled something utterly unthinkable to the azure. 

"What did you say?!" Sonic exploded as he immediately pushed his way out of the hug to look closely and Shadow's ruby eyes.

"I uh... I said _nothing_... Anyway. We need to talk about what were going to do." Shadow stuttered fearfully as he wasn't ready to admit his own feelings yet.

"We have a day... I want to know what you just said. Please, it will help me." The azure commanded desperately before softly kissing the top of the ebony's head.

"I'm not ready for that kind of commitment yet, Sonic." He murmured back quietly before gently pushing the cobalt away from him.

"Kind of commitment?! Do you realize that I could be **dead** by tomorrow right? I love you, Shadow. More than anyone and all I want is a solid response. I think I deserve that much after all we have been through." Sonic expressed fondly as he tightly wrapped his arms around the ebony.

Shadows eyes glimmered a little as tears started to fall down his face. He was so tired of the emotional rollercoaster... Just so unbelievably sick or crying in front of his own rival. But he knew Sonic was right... He may not survive this and he did deserve to know Shadow's true feelings. However, what were his feelings anyway? He was happy around Sonic. He felt safe... and relatively comfortable. But... There was something about his emerald-eyed lover that always made him feel slightly afraid. The dominance in his eyes... The desire to control every aspect of him. He wasn't sure if it was another Sonic he saw or if it was just his imagination. He felt like, if he let down his defenses, Sonic would want to control him like a puppet. Why he would ever do such a thing? Shadow didn't know... But whatever the reason. He needed to confront him about it.

"I just don't understand your _motivation_... To be so kind to me. I understand I'm this princess that you have been searching for... But I don't think that should be a basis for unconditional love... There something else you **crave** and it bothers me." He admitted wholeheartedly as he pushed away from the hug to look right into those emerald irises he had almost fallen for.

There was silence as Sonic's face turned from frustrated to slightly confused as he had no idea what the other was talking about. Then he suddenly realized... That Shadow was seeing the old him. The one that did all those horrible things when he was younger... And like everyone else. Shadow was afraid of him.

"I think you're seeing a part of me that hasn't been unleashed in a very long time. It's funny, that time you fell out of the window and I bandaged you up? That was the only time I really felt he might actually come out. I was so sick of your crap that I just wanted to pin you down and show you that I'm not to be screwed with. But to be frank, after I found out who you really were... On the inside... I never felt that again. All I want to do is protect you. Now mind you, I do get jealous and when I say protective, I mean very protective. But I never want to hurt you... Why would I want to hurt someone so **beautiful** to me?" Sonic responded lovingly before tapping the tip of the ebony's nose playfully.

"I'm only beautiful because I'm your princess. If this entire fiasco never happened you would see me exactly how you did." Shadow replied shyly as he released a half-serious growl before rolling his eyes.

"No... That's not it at **all** Shadow. I love you because you act like my princess... Your real personality is who I have wanted as a partner my _entire_ life. It's not just because I have been searching for you. I'm not that shallow ya know." The cobalt declared assuredly as he chuckled in his typical ironic manner.

"Why must you know everything I want to hear..? It's like you can read my mind or something. Which, after all that has happened, would not be a surprise in the slightest. Anyway, I can only hope that we can talk Ivo out of this... I can't bear to watch you two fight." The ebony sighed before sliding his fingers through his quills in utter frustration.

"I really tried to talk to him, Shadow. He doesn't listen to reasoning anymore. He just _assumes_ he knows what's best, which he absolutely DOES not. I'm afraid I have no choice but to put the kid out of his misery. I saw the look in his eyes... He obviously doesn't want to be alive." Sonic whispered kindly as he gently pat the charcoal hedgehog's shoulder in an attempt to calm the rage immediately burning in his eyes.

" **How the hell would you know?!** Of course, he wants out... He's been trapped in a jail cell his entire life. Please Sonic, we have to come up with something! For me... I can't let a child be killed just because of some senseless scientist's utter stupidity and your selfishness." Shadow countered forcefully as he suddenly stood up and walked a foot or two away from the couch they had been sitting on.

Sonic flattened his ears in reaction to the slightly distrustful movement and reached his arm out longingly to Shadow. Just close enough that the ebony could see but far enough that he didn't look like he was forcing Shadow to touch him.

"Shadow... _Please_ don't make this any harder on me... I need your support. I need you to help me find strength. I can't die after all this. There is nothing else I can do at this point... Please." The azure murmured tiredly as the apparent stress and exhaustion could be seen in his eyes.

There was slight silence as all Shadow could do was break down into tears. He didn't really have any idea how he was going to handle this situation and the fear in those little jade eyes made things more than emotional. He gradually took the cobalt's hand before being forcefully pulled into a very close hug. Not that Shadow minded that much. For now, all he could muster up was a slight nod as his entire face was buried into the other hedgehog's soft, pink stomach. After a few moments of soft petting, the crying stopped and eventually light breaths could be heard as he once again fell asleep. How Sonic had such an amazing super power is completely unknown but whatever the reason...

He knew it was going to come in handy... Unfortunately 


	42. Chapter 42

There was an eerily familiar smell as Shadow slowly lifted his head. The darkness and the damp coldness of the room were panic inducing. He knew exactly where he was... Was all of that some crazy dream or something?

"What the hell! Why am I back in this _hellish_ jail cell! I thought I was out, damnit." Shadow exclaimed violently while quickly rushing to the bars in an attempt to escape.

"You **were** out Shadow..." A soft voice lingered as stone cold emerald eyes emanated from the back of the dark room before creeping closer to the ebony.

" **Sonic**...? But why!? What the hell is going on!" The charcoal hedgehog bellowed as he violently shook the bars.

"I can't risk you get hurt, hon. This is only for safety. I will release you when I am done with this." The cobalt replied gently as he reached his arm through the bars to try to calm his lover.

"Sonic! No _please_! You might need my help... Why the **hell** do you not trust me?" Shadow whined angrily before quickly slapping Sonic's hand away in rebellion.

"You are my princess... **No**. You are my Shadow. My wonderful and amazing Shadow and I cannot bear to witness you getting hurt or even worse dying. I much rather handle this on my own.  Please. Just stay safe for me." The azure responded as he felt the cold rush of rejection roll down his spine, not that he expected any kind of comfort at this point.

"Locking me up isn't protecting me! It's controlling me. This isn't fair at all! You're an absolute idiot, faker." He roared with great ferocity before growling at his lover with little to know empathy.

"If I have to do a _little_ controlling to keep you safe, then I will. If I need your help I will absolutely come back. I love you, Shadow the Hedgehog." His ears went down as he said those three special words,

Quickly, Sonic turned on the Chaos power causing it to surround the cell. This made it utterly impossible for Shadow to escape in his current situation and before he could even respond the azure was gone. His heart sank to the floor as he couldn't believe how ridiculous this was... Tears streamed down his face, not that he really cared. No one could see him and with the somber buzzing of the electrical current, he started whimpering. He felt absolutely helpless at this point. There was practically no way he could save either of them now...

He tightly wrapped his arms around his knees and as his whimpers got even more erratic, he started to think about how he could have possibly gotten himself into such a shitty situation. If Sonic came back alive, he was not going to get a warm welcome.

* * *

Sonic walked erratically down the hallway to where the Dr. had asked to meet him. Outside the main base in the robot test fighting area. He didn't really feel like running and something about these quick fast stepping motions kept his emotions from pouring out. This was the first time in a while that he thought he might actually burst into tears without any hope of relief. He couldn't believe he just locked his princess away. He really felt it was the safest option but he knew the moment he came back, he was going to get his ass absolutely handed to him. He stopped walking for a few seconds as he started panting desperately. Not because he was physically exhausted but because the feelings were way more then he thought he could handle. But before he could really contemplate what exactly was going on, he felt a slight burn in his stomach. Instantly, every single feeling was gone. It happened again, everything shut off and he was able to think completely clearly. Deep down inside he knew he was really upset but it seemed to be locked deep inside. He started walking again, following the directions to the outside rather liberally. Eventually, after some incorrect turns, he had made his way to the outside deck. As he strolled along, he was met with many pieces of destroyed badniks and other robotic devices. 

"Heh. You test these things and **still** can't defeat me. You really are hopeless." He shouted egotistically with a hint of darkness.

His dark aura creepily flowed into every part of his body. The area seemed very similar to most fighting areas. It had a red painted circle in the middle and two semicircles beside it. He forcefully kicked one of the pieces of debris out his way before growling. He was really not in the mood for mercy... This was going to be finished.

Today

"I wouldn't be so _cheeky_. Especially since your **death** might be right around the corner." An older voice echoed out of the silence as he approached the azure from the other side of the arena.

"I see we are going to finish this once and for all. Am I correct? Where's the brat?" The sapphire hedgehog replied as he cupped his hands together before placing them behind his head.

"Oh... Don't worry. He's in a safe place for now. I wanted to have a little _chat_ before we started." Ivo countered slyly as his eyes darted to the lazy hedgehog.

"Eh. About what?" Sonic irritably rolled his eyes before bending his knees in preparation for the battle.

"I wanted to say that you have been a very **valuable** enemy. Even if you are an immature little shit." The doctor thanked in a slightly melancholy fashion before pulling out a device out of his pocket and pushing a button.

" _Wooowww_. Thanks. Appreciate the compliments. Look Egghead, we talked about this. I tried to at least reason with you and nope. Somewhere in that most likely damaged brain of yours, something tells you this is the only option. So unfortunately, I must comply. But don't come _crying_ to me when I destroy your little creation." The cobalt mocked as he continued stretching his legs and back before standing his ground sternly.

"We will see about that. It will be a **very** close fight, that's for sure. Your ego can only take you so far, my friend." Ivo replied somberly before glancing over at a cage that came up from the ground.

"Any rules? Or are we just going to release the beasts and see what happens." Sonic crossed his arms as the fire burning in his emerald eyes ignited the rest of his body and gave him great power.

"Either way, one of you is going to die so just do whatever you can. I have been training him closely. So don't get too cocky." The crazy scientist replied as he walked over to the cage which happened to have a little childlike cobalt hedgehog sitting and waiting patiently.

"Heh. Ya know the reason we hate each other so much is we both have these crazy intense ego's, Eggy! But let's see who's ego really wins. Once and for all."

"I agree... We both have our... talents, I suppose. But anyway let's cut to the chase and get this over with." Ivo gently patted the child's head through the bars before giving him a gentle nod.

There was a slight glance of fear in the child's eyes before it dimmed into the same passion the other had. Either way, Ivo knew this was going to be a very difficult fight to watch. But it had to be done... For the sake of the future.

"I couldn't agree more..." The azure agreed as he quickly clenched his fist and got into his typical running and fighting position.

"Bring on the Chaos!" 


	43. Chapter 43

e wind blew through the battlefield. It was calm and sinister as Ivo's eyes showed a single second of intense fear and regret. He knew what he was getting himself into. He took a long breath as he quickly walked over to the outside of the fighting area.

"Keep the fight in this area kiddos. I rather you _not_ destroy this town I am attempting to take over." The doctor laughed maniacally before jumping into his little flying machine and hovering above the area.

"I think you're just scared of getting hurt. But whatever, I'll play your game. **Now release the little demon from hell.** " Sonic screamed confidently as he released a very loud dark growl.

Silence fearfully crept through the area as the doctor took in the last seconds of peace before pressing a little button in his pocket. As soon as he did, the cage's door opened and Čelik was allowed to exit. However, he remained dormant while tightly closing his eyes.

"Aww... Your little baby is _scared_. You've been too sweet to him, Ivo. Come on ya little shit. I don't have all day and I rather take you out before the world crumbles. Or would you rather I come over there and end you now. It'll be a less fun, though." The adult azure mocked as he gently bit his lip, preparing himself for anything that might come as a result.

The child continued to stay still as his small breaths were all that could be heard or seen. Sonic approached him ferociously as he grabbed his little shoulder.

"You **don't** deserve her... You're willing to kill a child and do it with such disrespect. I'm kinder and more honest than you are. For **her** safety, you should just give up now." The child cleared his throat as a large smirk formed on his muzzle.

"Huh?! What are you _talking_ about? You're the one created for destruction. Not me. I would  never hurt Miran." Sonic exclaimed as he was utterly disgusted with the insulting comment.

"That's where you are mistaken... I was created to lead the world and you were **CREATED** to kill. That was your only purpose... She just happened to change you into something you're not." The kid revealed slyly as a slight giggle hit the other right in the face.

" **What the hell are you going on about!?** Less talk and more fighting!" The other azure bellowed before clenching his fists in pure anger.

 _(What the hell is this little brat going on about? Created for destruction? That's impossible...)_

"I tried to talk some sense into you. I guess I have no choice then..." Quickly, the child's eyes darted open as the large emerald eyes, double the size of Sonic's could be clearly seen.

It was almost as if the kid was trying to see into his practically non-existent soul and before he had any time to react, he could feel powerful pain and pressure pushing against him. The child had rushed into Sonic's abdomen at speeds unthinkable to the imagination and while the pain was excruciating... The incredible power and energy were the thing that was practically unbearable. He exploded through the battle field as he crashed against the entrance to the inside of the laboratory. He lied there immobile for a few seconds before rising and standing. Blood oozed from the sides of his mouth as he felt like his insides imploded into mush. But he wasn't going to give up that easily... He felt the anger and embarrassment boil inside him. How dare a foolish kid land such a powerful punch on him? The feelings of pure rage grew to a point where he felt the Chaos energy in his body hit maximum capacity. But this time, he was in complete one hundred percent control.

The child once again rushed at him but this time, the azure had plenty of time to react... He placed his hands in front of him, preparing to push the child back to the other side of the field. However, when the kids body collided with Sonic's hands, the unbelievable energy flew them both in completely opposite directions. As they rose to continue the fighting, they noticed a large white object in the place where they had just connected. Both energies were bouncing off each other at incredible speeds and soon they were spinning at such an incredible speed that they exploded, causing a horrible chain reaction.

Space had become completely distorted and the vortex started to suck much like a black hole, starting to devour everything within a mile. Pieces of the building were slowly being stripped and sucked into the tiny little white dot. But the two weren't going to let this be a setback. They took their stand as they dodged the copious amounts of debris being blown at them at every given direction. Čelik glared at his rival with practical disgust as he jumped from on piece of building to another. Everything was flying so quickly that Sonic barely had any time to think about anything else but not being smashed to a million pieces as he catapulted himself towards the child. This time, there would be no mercy. Abruptly, a huge piece of what looked like laboratory floor came flying towards them and they both dashed to opposite sides, ready to continue the battle. They knew they only had a short time before the piece was sucked into the vortex but they weren't going to let it worry them. Sonic clenched his fists as the intense wind blew threw his quills. He dodged another piece of debris before catapulting himself at Čelik. Thankfully, the kids very fast reflexes made it easy to dodge the punch before rebounding off a good chunk of the roof and smashing himself head first into the adult. Sonic went flying at great velocity before crashing against a large metal device. He then plopped on top of one of the incredibly heavy lighting posts that happened to be secured into the ground. He took a short break as he watched Čelik continued to jump from one piece of debris to another.

"You sneaky lil piece of shit." Exclaimed Sonic as wiped the copious amounts of blood dripping from his ears and nose.

The child dashed towards him once again, using the many pieces of debris to leap and increase his speed. Finally, when he had gained enough speed, he dashed through the intense wind to get to the other hedgehog. Quickly, with little time to spare, Sonic rolled into a little ball and forcefully spin dashed Čelik right into his left leg before grabbing the light once again. This caused the child to go flying towards the sucking vortex as he desperately tried to grab onto anything to keep himself from being consumed.

"Heh. Serves you right, you abomination." He mumbled under his breath as the cold dark aura had taken his toll on his mind.

As soon as he finished the taunt a very young feminine voice spoke inside his head.

 _(This isn't who you are, Vozitit. You are letting your rage get the best of you. Do you really think this is a fair fight?)_

"God damnit... Fine!"

Sonic blinked rapidly for a few seconds to get all the dust and pieces of material out of his eyes before letting go of the post and flying towards the kid. He soared towards him to try and catch him before he fell into the vortex. Quickly, he grabbed Čelik's arm before clutching a piece of the debris and attempting to swing himself from one piece of debris to another until he was back to the lamppost. Unfortunately, Čelik got the wrong idea and kicked him straight in the nose, causing Sonic to crash straight into the ground. He remained still for a few seconds as his body felt a lot weaker than it was prior. The child once again hopped from debris to debris before reaching the ground and hanging onto a nearby tree.

"You have such incredibly bad manners kid. I tried to **save** you." He complained loudly before also grabbing onto a nearby bush. 

"Heh. I bet you didn't even want to do that. My princess must have been talking to you. Shes _so_ kind y'know." The child taunted back disgustedly as he attempted to spit at the other hedgehog but it was immediately sucked into the vortex.

"I would **quit** running your mouth about Miran. She is mine, not yours!" Sonic screamed evilly as he wanted nothing more than to spear the little brat right in the mouth.

They continued arguing for a few more minutes as practically the entire exterior of the laboratory had been stripped off. Ivo could be seen off in the distance in one of his little flying machines, with a very down and frustrated look. Thankfully, he was out of the suck zone but it didn't make him any less upset.

" **My beautiful laboratory! How could you Sonic?!** " He shouted furiously even though he knew it was mainly his fault.

He watched the two of them continue to punch and kick, trying desperately to send the other one hurtling towards the vortex. But they were equally matched. Neither one had the strength to really beat the other nor was there really much of a point in trying. It was at this time that Ivo was getting awfully frustrated and even slightly fearful. He knew he was probably going to have to go to plan B... But how.

Suddenly before he really had time to think about it, a bright red glow emanated from one of his cells in the laboratory. It quickly vanished before teleporting to the front of the cyclone.

Both Čelik and Sonic stared in ah as the vortex sucking seemed to freeze, almost as if it was being put on pause. The crimson glow grew stronger as a beautiful voice emanated from the light.

"Chaos Control!" It shouted as an elegant and powerful energy swept through the area, completely eradicating the vortex that had destroyed so much of the area.

Both the blue hedgehogs froze as the air became still and peaceful... The glow started to cease as they witnessed a stunning and familiar face. "Miran!" 


	44. Chapter 44

Her beautiful crimson eyes sparkled with slight fear and frustration. Her dress flowing around her in gentle waves even though the air around her was completely still. The little red pendant around her neck glowed softly as her hair calmly fluttered in mid-air. It seemed as if everything around her body was emitting intense chaos energy, causing things to be in perpetual motion. There was little seconds of silence. Few, but enough for Sonic and Čelik to get a long good look at her perfect form and before they could respond to the princesses eyes of shame, she released a soft sigh.

"Why must there _**always**_ be fighting. Do you not understand that you tearing this world apart? I beg you to please stop this childish nonsense and start acting more mature." She spoke calmly yet sternly.

"Miran... Please. This needs to be finished." Sonic crossed his arms across his body as he responded with confidence.

"Did I say you were allowed to speak Voziti? I am really not in the mood for your bullshit." Miran replied coldly as she stared straight at him with eyes of incredible frustration.

" **Excuse me?!** Are you mad at me because I locked you up?" The azure adult complained.

" _No_... I _love_ being forced against my will to obey. I mean, I _am_ submissive after all." She mocked relentlessly before fluttering her eyelashes in an especially girly manner.

"Alright alright... Ya don't need to sass me. I get it." He flicked his hand before placing it on his hip.

"Just to clarify, I can handle my own. You don't need to be a knight in shining armor."

" **UM**! Pardon the intrusion but I'm still here, y'know..." Čelik interrupted as he put his index finger up into the air.

" **HUSH! THE ADULTS ARE HAVING A CONVERSATION!** " They both exploded as the incoherent arguing continued.

"I am your prince after all! That is my job, isn't it? To protect you from harm? Or was I just misreading the job description." The cobalt replied in a mocking manner as he rolled his eyes.

"Protecting me is one thing but outright throwing me into a jail cell because your scared is **NOT** appropriate! You should know better." She pestered before walking over to the azure adult and bopping him upside the head.

"Yes, I _sometimes_ do crazy things. But I always have the right heart in mind! And do not touch me right now unless you want me to touch back." He replied before gently slapping the back of the princess's hand.

"Just because your heart is good doesn't mean your actions are! Think Voziti or should I say Sonic! You're better than this!" Miran exploded as she took a lunging step towards her prince and glaring him straight in his emerald eyes.

"Your truly unbelievable. I knew women nagged a lot but I didn't know it was _genetic_." Sonic mocked in response before releasing a half serious soft snarl.

"This is the thanks I get for saving your life? You know transforming into a woman in sixty seconds is neither fun nor comfortable. **I think I deserve an apology!** " She exclaimed forcefully as the cobalt adult's face turned slightly mischievous as her look of pure anger made him feel slightly excited.

" **Guys!** " The child screamed loudly before waving at them in an attempt to remind them that he was still there listening.

"And don't you go on saying that she's _your's_ , twerp. Don't even go there!"

"Please stop fighting." His eyes glanced downward as he whispered softly.

They both looked at him slightly sympathetically before quickly stopping their bickering.

"Please... I'm sick of this. You think I **want** to destroy everything I touch? You think I **LIKE** conflict and arguing and loved ones hurting each other?!" He exploded as a few tears streamed from his eyes.

"Of course n-" Miran replied sweetly before being immediately cut off.

"Well guess what?! I DON'T! I'm just like you, dumbass. I want to survive." He continued as he glared forcefully at the other cobalt.

"And you will... We just need some time to figure out how to make this work." She replied lovingly before gently patting the top of the child's head.

"AND NO. I do not want to hear another word from your mouth Sonic. You hear me?" She continued as she also was seen glaring coldly at the azure adult.

"Yes honey..." He replied slightly annoyedly but with a hint of love.

He took a step back as he sighed softly before smiling gently at his princess. She quickly turned her head the other way as the blush on her cheeks was more than obvious. She gently pushed the child next to Sonic before nodding at him.

"Apologies to each other. NOW." She commanded with very little room for denial.

"But Mir-." Both of them saw her glowing red eyes turn stern as they froze in fear.

They looked at each other slightly annoyedly before sighing.

"I'm sorry." Celik started as his eyes sparkled with slight shame.

"I guess I'm sorry too kid. I had my eyes on the prize a _little_ too much..." Sonic replied before uncomfortably scratching the back of his neck.

The washing waves of the shore below to the side of the fighting arena and the gentle breeze were all that could be heard as the two hedgehogs, rather irritably, shook hands.

"Alright Miran, we made up, I guess. So how do you expect we fix this mess?" Sonic questioned skeptically.

"I'm not sure yet. But give me a little time and we will come up with something, I promise." She smiled sweetly as her voice emitted its usual gentleness.

Sonic nodded softly as he crossed his arms over his body in slight distress. Time was definitely something they didn't have a lot of. The azure adult glared at the child closely as they kid had the cheesiest grin on his face. But before he could give the child a big smack on the back of the head, a powerful whooshing noise could be heard coming up from behind. He turned around only to see Ivo's little flying contraption just feet from him. Unfortunately, because of the exhaustion of the fight, he had no ability to get away in time. Forcefully the machine collided with the cobalt, making him fly straight into the child, before both soaring and splashing into the cold blue ocean probably hundreds of feet deep. Miran gasped loudly as she quickly rushed over to the edge of the field.

" **No! Neither of them can swim!** " She panicked looking to the left and right of her as she tried to come up with some kind of plan.

But before she could make the commitment to jump in, a brunet blur of fur rushed in front of her. She looked up as she saw a gasping and obscenely exhausted looking brunet hedgehog.

"Princess, allow me to go instead." He uttered softly as he gently touched Miran's shoulder.

"Rob, you look about ready to pass out. Let me. I will be fine." She replied confidently before placing her hand on top of his.

 _"Princess, my duty is to protect you. Now please, we are wasting very valuable time." He attempted to convince her while his breaths staggered with every sentence._

"But..."

"Please. As we are arguing they are drowning. Do not make me force you." His voice became stern and forceful as he was not going to take no for an answer.

Miran's ears went down as she grabbed onto her guardian, giving him a tight hug.

"Bring them back, okay? And don't you forget to bring yourself back as well!" Her eyes glimmered with both fear and hope before giving him a purely platonic kiss on the cheek for good luck.

"I wouldn't want it any other way, Miran. Stay here, please." He replied before smiling softly.

She took a step back away from the edge as she watched her close friend hastily jump into the deep ocean. She knew he could swim well but it still worried her greatly... Her eyes closed as she conjured up a slight prayer in her brain. Fear running through her veins as she waited. Sadly, that's all she could do.

Wait... 


	45. Chapter 45

Her hair went from being in constant motion, to slowly resting on her beaded and embroidered dress. She couldn't believe how exhausted she felt. The energy emitting from her body was slowly decreasing and the once bright shine of her ruby colored stone on her pendant was starting to fade. She knew it was a matter of time before her body could no longer keep her awake, most likely turning her back to her former self. But she had to keep holding on. Rob had been down at the water's edge for only a few minutes. But to the crimson eyed princess, it felt like an eternity. The longer she had to wait the more exhausted she became. She blinked rather slowly as her staggered yet soft breaths seemed to make her even more nervous. If she had just lost three of her closest companions, she knew it was going to be the end of her life. Rather spontaneously, she could hear the sounds of splashing and coughing followed by exhausted yelling.

"Miran! **I got him**. Help me up!" The screaming continued as the princess immediately ran to the edge of the cliff before releasing a quick whimper of both relief and fear.

"Yes, of course!" She replied sweetly before using the last bit of her Chaos energy to psychically pull her best friend out of the water and onto the edge of the cliff.

Rob lied next to the unconscious azure hedgehog before quickly sitting on his knees and putting his ear to Sonic's chest. There was a very faint beat but it was not consistent in the slightest. This was when he noticed that the hedgehog wasn't breathing.

"Shit, Miran. Get me Tails. We need medical supplies **STAT**! He should be right outside the base. Please, hurry." He exploded feverishly before tilting the azures head to start the process of CPR.

"Oh, my god. Okay okay. **IS HE DYING**?!" She burst out crying while trying to speak, she could barely got the words out.

"Miran, _please_. We're wasting time. Get Tails right  now!" Rob replied as calmly as he could given the circumstances but still came of rather panicked.

"Rodger!" She wiped the tears from her eyes as she switched her brain from emotional to goal oriented.

She sprinted as fast as she could towards the location Rob pointed at. Or at least as fast as should could, given she was wearing a ball gown and heels. As she ran, she could feel her blood pressure slipping and her adrenaline increasing as, she herself, was almost completely out of Chaos energy. But she had to send the message... or else. She honestly didn't even want to think about it.

 _ **(The goal Miran. Just think about the goal.)**_

She continued to dodge all the debris that had been left behind after the chaotic event and made her way to the front door. She could sense it... She wasn't going to be able to keep awake for much longer.

She rammed the door open hoping to god that they were right on the other side. Thankfully, they were. Rouge, Amy and Tails were all huddled around a computer trying to read something Miran didn't have time to comprehend. She took a deep breath before holding onto the door to keep her balance.

"Sonic! He needs help! He's not..." She tried desperately to finish the sentence but her voice gave out and blackness started to surround her.

* * *

Very faint voices could he heard in the distance as Miran's non-existant body traveled closer to them. They sounded concerned and familiar as her entire body was swept with a strange sense of deja vu.

"I love him, Maria. **I love him so much**. Why does daddy have to be so harsh?" The voice cried sweetly as it started to come into view the closer she walked towards it.

"I know, sweetie. But he _was_ created for destruction... He is a **very** dangerous creature even if he loves you." A beautiful blonde hair and blue eye preteen replied as she gently brushed the ebony hedgehog's long beautiful hair.

"Just because someone was created to do something doesn't mean they _actually_ do it or even want to do it." The young female hedgehog tilted her head to the other before gently wrapping her arms around the human into a tight hug.

"That is very true, but we cannot deny his initial purpose and instincts, hon." She softly patted the young hedgehog's cheek before wiping the tears from her eyes.

"I don't care what daddy says. I love him and **no one** will stop me from being with him." Miran replied confidently as she lowered her eyes to the ground.

"You realize how **naive** you are right? Once you experience pain and misfortune you will understand. You are **our** princess, Miran and all we want to do is protect you." Maria continued to brush the curly bangs of the ebony as Miran sighed quietly.

"But we are supposed to be together even according to daddies beliefs. I just **don't** understand... Why would he want to separate people who were born to be together?" She questioned back almost mumbling her words as she started to become irritated.

"I don't either honey. _Nonetheless_ , you should listen to granddaddies commands." The young girl had finally brushed all of the princess's hair and gently placed back her black and ruby crusted crown into her hair.

"I wonder what he will do... I don't think there's **anything** he could do to make my prince hate me..." Miran elegantly stood from her little stool as she looked down at the golden haired lady.

"I don't know. But do you _really_ want to test his patience?" She replied as her eyes became slightly stern with concern.

"I do... Because I know I am right."

* * *

Crying...

All he could hear was crying. And the occasional sympathetic reply. What in the world was going on? Shadow slowly opened his eyes as his room was sheltered from any form of light. Either it was night, or someone didn't want him to wake. The glow on his pendant wrapped around his neck seemed to be back to its normal shine. He rubbed his eyes hard before glancing around the room. This was surely not his house... The furniture was beautiful and expensive with a hint of old-fashion charm...

Yep!

This was definitely Sonic's house. That was when it hit him... The crying. He rushed out of bed and opened the door quickly.

" **What happened?! How long was I out?** " He screamed fearfully as his heart was racing a million miles per second.

The entire room fell silent as the tears of almost every one of Sonic's friends that Shadow could remember were falling down their faces. Rob was seen sitting on the couch with Amy's head neatly tucked into his lap.

"I'm sorry, Shadow. We did everything we could." He gently stroked Rose's head as his face showed a great sense of regret.

" **What?...** " The ebony asked in almost a whisper.

All the energy he had regained felt like it was drained out of him as he could not believe what he just heard. His cheeks started to flush as the feeling of unbelievable fear and emotion started to rush through him.

"Would you like to say goodbye?"


	46. Chapter 46

"I.. _wha_..." He responded flabbergasted without a single attempt to complete the sentence.

He could feel the complete panic gliding down his back in a way he had never felt before. It was almost unbearable even though he hadn't even thought about what these words actually meant. He immediately fell to the ground as many of Sonic's friends rushed to help him remain sane. But it was already too late... His heart was shattered and all he could think about was getting away. Getting far away from everyone and everything. He didn't even feel like crying, just screaming. Not necessarily at anyone just at the world in general.

Rob gently patted Amy's shoulder as if to ask if it was okay if he could go comfort the heartbroken ebony. She nodded softly as her eyes glittered with unbelievable exhaustion. The brunet himself wasn't any less tired. He did get some sleep while Shadow was resting but it was filled with nightmares of his future eternal punishment. Right now though, all he cared about was helping others who needed it. He softly walked over to the ebony, pushing everyone out of the way and calmly wrapping his arms around him. Shadow remained shocked and motionless as he desperately clung onto his good friend as if it was him clinging onto the last bit of sanity he had left. The brunet gently stroked his quills as he could hear Shadow's soft whimpers of complete shock.

"I **really** think you should say goodbye, Shadow. I know it will be very difficult but, I think  Sonic would want to see you one last time." He mumbled gently as he tried everything he could to calm the ebony.

"He's... He's not here... He doesn't... _care_." Shadow stuttered in-between sobs of utter disbelief.

"I think he's still there... Voziti has a way of hanging around even after death. Please, I think this will be good for you." Rob whispered sweetly as he softly brushed the tears from Shadow's red cheeks.

"I never... got to say... that I _loved_ him... I'm..." He stumbled in agony as everything on the inside felt like it was wanting to burst out of him.

"Then go say it now, Shadow... Please." Rob replied calmly before gently rubbing his back.

There was a little bit of silence as Shadow finally nodded in agreement.

"Help me... I don't think... I can walk." He pulled himself up as he was shaking violently from all the adrenaline.

"Of course, hon." He replied gently before pulling up the ebony and letting him rest on his shoulder.

Rob knew how incredibly weak Shadow was feeling and how easily he could just crack. But the prince deserved to be with the princess **one** last time. He slowly helped guide him to the bedroom the sapphire was resting in and plopped down a chair next to him, allowing Shadow to sit there.

"Now... Do you need me to _leave_ for a bit?" The brunet looked at him closely in his teary ruby eyes as he softly stroke Shadow's ear.

"I... I'm scared but I think that would be best." He muttered shyly as he thumped his head on the bed before grabbing onto the cobalt's hand.

Before Shadow could even say goodbye the brunet was gone and he was all alone... All alone with someone no longer there.

In general, Sonic looked very peaceful. His eyes were gently closed and his fur was obviously brushed. Which slightly disturbed the ebony. But he didn't really care... It was confession time. So many things to say... but where to start.

"My entire time here... I had **always** wanted a very close companion. Someone who would understand me and love me for who I was. I suppose that's a very _common_ dream but... I felt out of place. People always looked at me from the corner of their eye, thinking I was going to hurt someone. In reality, I just wanted peace...  Peace and quiet, away from all those who looked down on me. But that's when I realized how lonely I was... When I moved to the forest. Rob found me and protected me from everything. Still, I wanted that partner but I just assumed I was **_meant_** to have one." He stammered on. Softly squeezing the cobalt's cold hand as his face started to turn red from the realization that who he was talking to wasn't there anymore.

"Then... Then you started acting _weird_... I started having strange feelings. Most certainly not love but... **attraction** in the most innocent sense. Being around you, whether we were fighting or whatever, felt right and good. Before I knew it, all of this had happened." He laughed slightly as the tears came rolling down silently onto the sapphire hedgehog's peach fur.

" **Love**... Is a hard feeling to pin down. But even as we speak, I feel strangely good... next to you. Even though you're not here. Maybe you are but. I'm just... sorry for. **Everything**. All the speculation... All the pain... All the fear. I was being selfish and not thinking about your own needs and desires... I think what I'm trying to say is. Even though these next however many years I am on this planet, will be **hell** without you. I am so happy that I had finally found someone who loved me for me. And that..." He took a long pause as he tried to gain his courage.

"I love you... **SO** much. I can't even comprehend it anymore. I can't even think about the level anymore. I don't know... HOW... I am going to live without you." He admitted wholeheartedly as he rested his head on the bed.

Tears were rushing down his cheeks at an alarming rate. He felt like all the life was again being sucked out of him but his feelings were true... More true than ever. He placed his hand on the azure's cheek which was already fairly cold and petted it sweetly. And as tears fell down his face, he gave the cobalt one last kiss on the lips. Gentle, but deep enough that he felt satisfied that this would be the last one he would ever have. Strangely, the pendant on necklace started to glow a little brighter and a subtle dot of light shot through Shadow's body and into the sapphire hedgehog's. The ebony's head shot up as he had a long look at Sonic. Nothing seemed to be different and his body remained in exactly the same position.

 _(Since when have I been hopeful?)_

He decided then it was time to take his leave and escape to a place where he could mourn... For real. But being as it was... It wasn't a horrible goodbye. He didn't feel happy but at the very least he felt like he got everything out...

He got out of the chair and stood, holding onto it tightly. He wasn't as exhausted as before but still fatigued and started walking towards the door. He took hold of the handle before feeling a difference in the atmosphere around him. It felt warmer and slightly brighter. He decided it was just his imagination and turned the knob to open the door.

"Shadow...? I'm STARVING. Do we have any chili dogs?" 


	47. Chapter 47 (Finale!)

hadow's body shivered as the voice crept through the room with no reaction from the ebony. He was almost certain that his mind was playing tricks on him and he was too afraid to turn around and prove himself right or wrong.

"Babe? Ya feelin' okay? I know ya don't eat pork but ya don't need to give me the silent treatment cuz of it." The voice continued slyly as it showed its typical cocky nature.

Shadow's body shook slightly as he slowly turned his head, eyes dilated and heart racing.

Could this be true?

And there he was, sitting up against the pillow with a slightly dazed look in his eyes. The ebony held his breath for a few moments staring deeply at the slightly confused hedgehog.

"Youre still mad at me, huh? Look, I **promise** ill make up for it." Sonic muttered softly as he shuffled in the sheets uncomfortably.

Still silence... All that was given was a slight gentle nod, followed by an explosion of emotion. It wasn't a dream or a hallucination. Sonic had actually come back. Shadow grabbed onto his muzzle, squeezing it tightly as he thanked every god that could exist in the world for this wonderful miracle. This was when, for the first time since Maria, he completely gave into his desires.

He catapulted himself onto the azure, causing Sonic to prepare himself for impact. Shadow landed on top of his cobalt prince quite roughly before wrapping his arms around his waist and burying his face into Sonic's less-the-stellar-but-satisfying peach colored fur. Rubbing his face into it with complete and utter delight. His scent and his warmth were enough to make the ebony forgive everything that had happened the past few weeks and just enjoy this wonderful sensation.

"Someone's feeling rather _lovey-dovey_. It's about time! It's like I almost died or something." The azure giggled slightly as he gently combed through Shadow's messy quills.

"You did... Your heart stopped hours ago... I have no idea how your alive but I don't care. Whatever the reason doesn't matter... You're here." Shadow nestled himself into the cobalt, almost diving into his soft slightly overgrown fur.

"Really? That's radical! I came back from the dead? **_Sweet_**!" Sonic exploded excitedly as he clenched his left fist in triumph.

"You don't understand, you idiot! I was certain that I lost you! Do you have **any** idea how I feel right now?!" Shadow exploded back as he sent a gentle slap to the azures shoulder.

"Your right... Sorry for not taking it seriously but c'mon. It _is_ pretty awesome!" He teasingly patted the charcoal hedgehog's cheek as he winked cutely.

"Just shut up and **kiss** me you _stupid_ faker." He responded coldly as he forcefully grabbed the cobalt's chin.

"Well.. Maybe I don't-" He was interrupted with the contact of his beautiful ebony's lips.

Their lips pushed against the other gently as Shadow sweetly pushed his tongue into the azures mouth. Tenderly poking the others tongue, until it finally decided to join in. Sonic wasn't used to this slightly aggressive behavior from his submissive princess, but either way, he was getting quite a kick out of it. Their tongues meshed softly, not really wanting anything more from the situation at the moment. This was when Sonic made a rather daring move, by gently flicking the end of the ebony's tail. It seemed to stiffen up as a subtle purr could be heard while the kissing continued. Shadow wrapped his arms around the cobalt's neck before pushing himself closer to the other.

" **Hay hay hay! Whats all the noise in here**?!" Rob slammed open the door as he had become overly concerned with all the odd noises coming from the room.

Shadow turned his head slightly as his eyes became infuriated. He knew it was his guardian but right now this was him and Sonic's time...

"Oh my Chaos! Sonic?! **You're alive**!" The brunet exclaimed shockingly as his eyes widened with surprise.

"That I am, now uhhh. Were a little busy, if you can't tell. If you could wait a bit to tell the others so we can have some alone time, that be _awesommme_." He replied cleverly as he eyed his princess who was still burying his face into his chest fur.

"Well that doesn't _really_ seem fair..." The brunet whined teasingly before leaning his body against the wall confidently.

"I think Shadow would **really** appreciate it. He has never been _this_ romantic. If ya catch my cold." The cobalt replied as he softly kissed the tip of the ebony's shoulder.

"You guys have twenty minutes to get everything out. Then I will tell everyone and they can come visit you." Rob commanded as he glared at them both sternly.

Both the hedgehogs groaned as Shadow immediately shoved his face into the azures neck.

"Fine... We better get started then so shoo." Was the ebony's muffled reply as he gently gave the cobalt a little love bite.

"Don't get **too** friendly okay?" Rob teased as he winked before sneaking out of the room.

Sonic growled promiscuously as he slid both his hands down the charcoal hedgehog's back. Shadow responded with a slight shiver and a single lick on his neck.

"I don't think I have ever seen you like this, Shadow. I need to _die_ more often." The cobalt muttered sarcastically as he ruffled Shadow's fluffy white chest hair.

" **YOU WILL NEVER DO THIS TO ME AGAIN! YOU HEAR**?!" The ebony replied furiously while wrapping his arms tighter around the cobalt, practically squeezing him to death.

"Aww, c'mon babe y'know I'm just kiddin'... Why would I _ever_ want to scare you?" He whispered sweetly while nibbling on the tip of the charcoal hedgehog's ear.

He slid his thumb onto Shadow's cheek before giving it a long lick himself. The faintest pant could be heard as the ebony pushed himself about as close as he possible could. His entire body was practically buried into the sapphire hedgehog's fur as slight whimpers of relief filled the room.

"Aww, hon. It was really that bad, huh? You're alright. _Everything's_ alright." Sonic consoled gently as he slowly stroked the ebony's back, drawing little circles on it with his pointer finger.

" **EVERYTHINGS ALRIGHT?!** I woke up in your house only to be told that you had already died! You can only imagine the pain, Sonic. I... I **actually** wanted to kill myself!" Tears continued to fall down his face and onto the bed.

He tried covering up his face with a pillow but it wasn't helping in the slightest. He was so angry at the azure's lack of understanding. How dare he just pass this off as _'oopsy'_ event! This was so much more than that.

"Is that so... Well, it shows how much I mean to you. Which makes me happy..." The cobalt glanced to the side as all this emotional attention felt strangely out of place to him.

"Is everything I do not **enough** proof?!" The ebony continued to exclaim as he realized there was only one real way to prove himself and he finally felt ready.

"That's not what I-." Sonic stared as he put his hands up in defense but the ebony grabbed onto both of them tightly.

"I love you, Sonic the Hedgehog... I love you **so** much. I don't understand how I fell in love so fast and easy without knowing! But I did and all I want is to be with you and next to you and everything else as long as you're here and  right beside me the entire time!" He confessed passionately as he looked longingly and deeply into the sapphire hedgehog's, sparkling emerald eyes.

Sonic remained shocked beyond recognition... This was something he thought he would never hear, nonetheless be said in such a passionate and loving manner. It caused him to slightly choke on his own spit as he tried to speak but only one word came out.

" ** _Shadow..._** " Sonic replied gently and sweetly as he wrapped his arms around the ebony's neck before giving him a slight kiss on the nose.

He pulled the ebony close before stroking his quills more tenderly than he ever had. Causing the charcoal hedgehog's cries and sobs to relax and calm to a point of silence.

"I love you... Happy? I admitted it." He whispered softly before burying his head into Sonic's fur.

"Everything's alright... I know you do. But hearing you say those three special words means more than you could ever imagine... You already know how much you mean to me." He giggled slightly while calmingly humming a very gentle tune after he spoke.

"Don't you **dare** leave me again... You stupid, egotistical, narcissistic, little shitbucket." Shadow pounded him quite hard in the stomach as he was already starting to feel ashamed and angry for making himself so vulnerable.

"Oh my... Has sweet, loving, submissive Shadow left the building? I miss him already." Sonic teased sweetly as he gently rubbed the sore spot on his stomach.

" _Whatever_. Ya know... We have only ten minutes left. Knowing Rob he might give us an extra five. What do we do with it?" Shadow murmured shyly as he glanced down at the azures crotch. He could already tell that he was excited but he wasn't really sure what he wanted to do about it.

"As much as we can possible do!" Sonic exclaimed pervertedly as he gave Shadow the slyest wink and grin he could possibly muster.

Sonic grabbed Shadow's waist before rolling on top of him and kissing from the top of his cheek all the way down his body. He grabbed both the ebony's hands and pinned them against the bed, allowing absolutely no escape.

"Oh my... Aren't you cocky? Fine, ill _submit_ , if that's what you **desire**... Sonikkuuu." Shadow replied vocally as his voice became gentle and passive, giving the azure exactly what he wanted.

"I'm Sonic the hedgehog baby. I have a need for speed and _desire_ for fire. If ya know what I mean." The sapphire hedgehog glared down at what he was now considering his prey and bit his lip. Even if it was just ten minutes or so... It would be enough to satisfy his cravings.

"OOO... _Nice_... I like it. Now do your worst... Prince." Shadow replied slyly before giggling hysterically as the cobalt continued to nibble all over his body.

He was somewhat surprised with how giddy he was feeling. No sense of anxiety, no fear of the unknown just pure happiness. He knew this was going to be a very interesting rest of his life... With his new companion. But everything would sort itself out because if you take absolutely no chances... How are you going to experience the really amazing wonderful things in life? If you plan everything, how are you going to have experiences you never thought possible? As long as you have that one person by your side... You know that you can handle everything and anything going wrong.

Sonic stopped momentarily to take in the sight of his princess, the princess he had been searching for as long as he could remember and as both their hearts started to once again beat together, their eyes met as well. For he knew how wonderful it was to stare into what he considered to be...

 **The Ruby Eyes of Affection**


	48. Epilogue

The blue ocean was cast with the shadows of unseen creatures as the night was in full effect. The cold damp breeze blew through the trees as the unsettling forest would send any person a shiver down their spine... In the midst of the icy dark atmosphere, a gentle young voice could be heard singing.

Round we go, the world is spinning

When it stops, it's just beginning

Sun comes up, we live and we cry

Sun goes down, and then we **all** die...

To be continued...

These lyrics are not owned by me! I am in no way taking credit for someone else work. You can check out the song at watch?v=GlsIu3D0pdc. It is from the ring and I thought it would be perfect for the ending of this really long season/book!


End file.
